The Nigerian Air Traffic Controllers Association announced its participation in the upcoming nationwide protest against 50% IGR deduction. This protest scheduled September 18 could disrupt both foreign and domestic flights if the government fails to intervene swiftly.
NATCA concerns about the government’s ongoing 50% deduction from aviation’s IGR, states that it is weakening safety and operational efficiency. The association emphasized that this policy threatens the stability of the aviation sector.
In a statement, NATCA National President, Abayomi Agoro, highlighted that the sector’s financial strain is pushing activities to a breaking point. “We want to place it on record that the safety-critical activities of the entire aviation sector are slowly grinding to a halt, reaching unacceptable levels.
Moreover, the agencies within the sector are financially constrained, rendering the sector dysfunctional. This alarming situation, if left unaddressed, poses significant risks to the safety and operational effectiveness of Nigerian airspace.
Note that NATCA will not assume responsibility if a strain on sector safety leads to a critical incident, Agoro said.
Furthermore, Agoro stated that the ongoing constraints from these deductions are undermining NATCA ‘s ability to provide safe and efficient services.
NATCA instructs Air Traffic Controllers to follow directives starting at 0000 hours on September 18. The protest will continue until further notice, with the Secretariat providing updates.
