Keyamo woos aviation union to withdraw from proposed protest
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo
Keyamo woos aviation union to withdraw from proposed protest
Abdullateef Fowewe
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has appealed to aviation workers to cancel their planned protest scheduled for August 21, 2024.
The protest was in response to the Federal Government’s deduction of 50% from the internally generated revenue of key aviation agencies, including the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, Nigerian Meteorological Agency, Nigerian College of Aviation Technology and Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau.
In a press release on Friday, Keyamo acknowledged the worries of the workers regarding the negative impact these deductions have on investment, maintenance of critical infrastructure, and overall operations of the agencies.
However, he assured the workers’ unions and stakeholders that President Bola Tinubu is committed to improving the aviation sector and will give their demands due consideration to find a lasting solution that balances the fiscal needs of the government and the operational requirements of the aviation agencies.
The release read in part, “We understand the significance of the issues raised and recognise the vital role that our aviation workforce plays in ensuring the safety, efficiency, and smooth operation of the industry.
“The Ministry is committed to addressing these challenges in a manner that ensures the continued viability and sustainability of the sector while maintaining the highest standards of service delivery.
“We assure the workers’ Unions and other stakeholders that His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is very concerned about the improvement of the Aviation sector and will give their demands due consideration to find a lasting solution that balances both the fiscal needs of the government and the operational requirements of the Aviation Agencies.
The minister urged the workers to remain calm and maintain industrial peace while the government works towards resolving the matter amicably.
“We appeal to all workers to remain calm and maintain industrial peace while the Government is working assiduously towards amicably resolving the matter,” he said.
He expressed appreciation for their understanding and continued dedication to the aviation sector.
