By ITOHAN ABARA-LASERIAN

The National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) have called for a review of the 50 per cent Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of aviation agencies, to the contributory Treasury Single Account (TSA).

National President of NUATE, Comrade Ben Nnabue, made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Lagos.

He said that four aviation agencies were affected by the TSA policy namely: Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) and Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT).

Nnabue said that recent developments achieved in the aviation industry, could be more if agencies had more funds to run airport affairs while positioning Nigeria’s aviation in the global ecosystem.

He noted that most of the best airports in the world are built by government adding that there is need to look at the airport system from that perspective.

According to him, where 50 per cent of the agencies’ revenue is taken off, it could be difficult to generate funds for requisite improvement.

“That is the first issue we have to resolve, so that the money we make in the airport will be used to manage the airports and build new structures, upgrade infrastructure and make the airports world-class,” he said

Speaking on the Condition of Service for aviation workers in both private and public service, Nnabue said there had been improvements as airlines such as Emirates and Ethiopian, as well as SACHO, NAHCO among others, have been signed.

He noted that from the angle of the union, condition of service of basically all the agencies had been signed off, adding that the unions were done with negotiations and awaiting resolution of some challenges.

Meanwhile, on the issue of workers’ freedom of association, he urged airlines who had refused workers their rights to association, to refrain from same.

“We have actually taken the matter to the Ministry of Labour, to the Minister of Aviation and the recyclers development, to speak to these airlines.

“When you run a system like in an airport and workers cannot speak up, it is dangerous and a security and safety issue because they are bottled up.

“So, we want to have a clear picture of what is happening to everybody working in the aviation industry, specifically, in the angle of remuneration,” he said.

Moreso, Nnabue pushed for the review of navigation charges by the NAMA every four years.

He explained that since workers’ salaries in the union were reviewed every year following available data, the agencies could do same for survival, adding that there is also the need for adequate training of airport personnel.

“He commended the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr Festus Keyamo (SAN) as well as the Managing Director of FAAN, Mrs Olubunmi Kuku, for rebranding the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA).

Speaking on the Enugu Airport concession, he revealed that recent agreement reached with the ministers, protected workers at the airport.

According to him, workers would remain employees of FAAN and would consequently be entitled to all their benefits. (NAN)

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