The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has stepped in to mediate the growing dispute between the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) and aviation unions over the remittance of the statutory Five Percent Ticket Sales Charge (TSC), as the crisis threatens to disrupt domestic flight operations across the country.
The intervention follows fresh threats by aviation unions to ground the operations of affected domestic airlines after the expiration of a series of ultimatums issued over the alleged non-remittance of the TSC.
The Ticket Sales Charge (TSC) is a statutory levy collected by airlines from passengers on behalf of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to support the operations of key aviation agencies.
While the unions alleged that some airlines had continued to withhold the funds, thereby starving aviation agencies of resources needed to maintain safe and efficient operations, the Airline Operators of Nigeria insisted that the unions had been misinformed and urged them to seek clarification from the appropriate regulatory authorities.
The latest development comes less than 24 hours after domestic airlines warned that any attempt to disrupt flight operations over the dispute would have serious consequences.
Following the expiration of a seven-day ultimatum issued after an earlier 14-day deadline, the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) and the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) formally notified the airlines, the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services (DSS) of their decision to commence industrial action.
In a joint statement signed by ATSSSAN General Secretary, Frances Akinjole, and NUATE Deputy General Secretary, Odinaka Igbokwe, the unions accused the affected airlines of refusing to remit funds collected from passengers on behalf of aviation agencies.
According to the unions, the alleged failure to remit the statutory charges has negatively affected the operations of agencies such as the NCAA, Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT) and the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet).
The unions warned that airlines found guilty of withholding the funds could be prevented from operating, insisting that such action was necessary to protect the safety of workers and the flying public.
“Our unions have decided to stop the operations of the affected airlines in our airports at any time from now without any further notice,” the statement read.
Reacting to the growing tension, Minister Festus Keyamo assured Nigerians that the Federal Government was already engaging all parties involved to prevent any disruption to domestic flight services.
Speaking with Vanguard, the minister disclosed that although he is currently outside the country, efforts were ongoing to resolve the dispute through dialogue.
“I am presently out of the country, and we are making efforts to reach out to all parties,” Keyamo said.
The intervention is expected to help ease tensions between the airlines and aviation unions as stakeholders work towards resolving the dispute without grounding flight operations across Nigeria.
