Oil and Gas workers in Nigeria are asking the Federal Government to immediately withdraw newly introduced 4% charges on helicopter landing, to avoid a disruption in the relative industrial peace in the sector.
The workers under the aegis of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas, NUPENG and the Petroleum
and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN,are worried over the new landing fees imposed on helicopter operators, especially those servicing the oil and gas industry
in Nigeria.
A statement jointly signed by NUPENG General Secretary Afolabi Olawale and that of PENGASSAN Lumumba Okugbawa, said the decision by the Federal Ministry of Aviation to impose exorbitant fees on helicopter
operators during this period of economic hardship on businesses and the citizenry, is very unfortunate.
According to the organised labour, the new charges, which include a 4% charge on the gross revenue of helicopter operators, as well as additional levies and taxes, pose a grave threat to the sustainability and viability of the helicopter transport sector that is critical to Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.
Labour said the obnoxious memo directing helicopter operators to compulsorily pay for helicopter landing fees at all Nigerian aerodromes’ helipads, airstrips, floating production storage, and offloading units, floating storage
and offloading units and other oil platforms to generate more revenue to the federal government is unacceptable
Labour said this unpopular decision has a detrimental impact on the sector, as this incremental cost is going to be passed on to the chartering companies who will, in turn, transfer the burden to the employees in the sector and, therefore demand an immediate withdrawal
(Editor: Paul Akhagbemhe)
