On the occasion of the 2025 global celebration of Workers Day, National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) lamented the federal government’s continued deduction of 50 per cent of total Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of aviation agencies at source, despite agreed review of same.
NUATE lamented that the deductions were made even from agencies that struggled to survive on whole generated incomes.
The union added that vital aspects of safety and security were being flouted, and apprehension continued to surround the airports concession programme of the federal government on the part of workers of the airports’ authority, and on account of lack of clarity around the resolution of labour issues.
National President of NUATEA, Comrade Ben Nnabue, in his May Day speech, stated, “All the government agencies in aviation remain without governing boards of directors, depriving the agencies of magnifying ideas and stultifying long term planning.
“Even as aviation unions have successfully concluded the reviews of conditions of service of most of the public agencies, fears remain about their timely approvals by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC) and the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation (OHSF).
“It is, therefore, of vital importance that the NSIWC and the OHSF recognise their important roles in positively shaping the industrial atmosphere in our industry through speedy and conscientious processing of our conditions of service.”
Nnabue added, “I am gravely worried that the problem of extremely poor remunerations of workers of private aviation services providers remain unattended in spite of the huge security and safety risks involved.
“Let me use this medium to urge the Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) on whose table the matter presently resides to quicken his steps towards ameliorating this issue and avoid a major crisis in the sector as the connected agitations caused by prolonged suffering of affected workers has reached boiling point.
“The men and women by who’s risk-taking and business acumen aviation businesses keep afloat, and by that means all the workers (our members) are able to remain at work.
“Taking into account the considerable efforts and strains that go into the irking meagrereturns for most aviation businesses, the sacrifices by these investors fully deserve our highest commendation, which we so offer without reservation.”
The NUATEA president stated, “On a day such as this, I am mightily moved to speak glowingly of the Hon. Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Barrister Festus Keyamo (SAN), who has distinguished himself as a true father of aviation workers, ever ready and well-disposed to workers’ welfare issues. To him we pour our gratitude without measure.”
He saluted the “resilience, resourcefulness and proficiency” of aviation workers, who work conscientiously to ensure “our skies are kept open and safe, our customers and their goods are safely moved across destinations, our facilitation ports are continually growing into safe, secure and comfortable environments, and all supporting services are clinically delivered”.
