BY OLAPEJU OLUBI
More aviation bodies are vehemently condemning the Federal Government’s decision to deduct 50 percent of revenue generated by aviation parastatals.
The latest body to kick against the policy is the National Association of Air Traffic Engineers (NAAE), which said the move was not only wrong-headed but has tossed the affected agencies, particularly the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) into a cash squeeze situation and ultimately risk compromising safety standards.
In an interview, Engineer Selzing Miri, President of NAAE, called for an immediate reversal of the deductions, stressing that the cuts have severely impacted the agency’s ability to fund critical recurrent training for its professionals.
Miri expressed deep concern about the diminishing training opportunities for NAMA personnel, attributing the shortfall to the government’s revenue deductions.
“If you assess the infrastructure at our airports, especially the facilities we engineers are tasked with maintaining, the strain is evident. We lack basic operational necessities, such as dedicated vehicles.
“In many airports, functional vehicles are unavailable, and essential equipment in several stations is sorely lacking,” he said.
He further argued that the deductions are unnecessary given that aviation agencies like NAMA are not profit-driven but rather operate on a cost-recovery basis.
“These agencies exist to recover costs, not to make profits. The revenue generated goes toward staff salaries, procurement of essential equipment, and facility upgrades. Taking from this limited income hampers the agency’s ability to function effectively,” Miri emphasised.
He urged the government to reconsider its stance, stating, “There is no justification for any form of deduction from the revenue these agencies generate.
“These funds are crucial for their operations, and any reduction puts undue strain on their capacity to maintain safety and efficiency. We believe the deductions should be halted entirely,” he said.
Miri encouraged NAAE members across the country to remain law-abiding but ready to participate in peaceful union protests should the government fail to address the issue before the planned demonstrations.
He lamented that instead of providing subventions to support NAMA, the government’s actions have only added to the agency’s burdens.
The NAAE president painted a bleak picture of the situation, warning that if the deductions continue, the agency might struggle to pay salaries. “We keep hearing that funds are unavailable.
If the government continues to take such a significant portion of our revenue, it’s only a matter of time before aviation agencies are unable to meet their salary obligations,” he cautioned.
