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50% IGR deductions: Aviation unions plan nationwide protest Sept. 18
Unions in the aviation industry have jointly declared their intent to hold a nationwide protest on September 18, in response to the Federal Government’s controversial policy of deducting 50 per cent of the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) from the aviation agencies.
The aggrieved unions insist that the practice has crippled critical operations and undermined safety measures across the sector.
The unions spearheading the protest include the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), the Association of Nigeria Aviation Practitioners (ANAP), the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE), the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE), and the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN).
In a detailed joint statement released on Thursday, the union leaders—Ocheme Aba (NUATE), Abdul Rasaq Saidu (ANAP), Francis Akinjole (ATSSSAN), Olayinka Abioye (NAAPE), and Sikiru Waheed (AUPCTRE); unanimously decried the government’s actions, calling for an immediate discontinuation of the revenue deductions. They argued that such a policy, if left unaddressed, would not only cripple aviation agencies but also imperil the safety and efficiency of Nigeria’s entire aviation system. According to the unions, the Federal Government’s 50 per cent deduction of IGR from agencies such as the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), the Nigerian Airspace Management Authority (NAMA), the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT) and the Nigeria Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) is threatening the very fabric of the aviation industry.
The unions highlighted that these agencies are primarily designed as cost-recovery entities and not profit-making organizations. Unlike private companies, aviation agencies rely on the revenue they generate to maintain critical infrastructure, support safety operations, and fund essential services. The unions emphasised that reducing their revenue by half has left these agencies incapable of fulfilling their obligations, particularly in areas related to safety and air traffic management.
They also stated that all efforts on their part to convince the Federal Government to stop the deductions as agencies are cost recovery and not profit-making organisations, have failed.
They stressed that the agencies cannot survive on half of their incomes under the model of administration or any other guise whatsoever.
“All workers of the NCAA, FAAN, NAMA, NiMet, NCAT and NSIB, are hereby directed to embark on peaceful protests at all airports nationwide on 18th September 2024 to demand the discontinuation of deduction of 50% from the internally generated revenue of the agencies mentioned above through an exemption.
“All efforts on our part have failed to impress it upon the Federal Government that all the Agencies are cost recovery, and not profit making, organizations. As such they cannot survive on half of their incomes under any model of administration, or any other guise whatsoever. The ultimatum given to the Minister of Aviation on the same issue expired in August, 2024,” the uinons said.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has assured all stakeholders that President Bola Tinubu was actively reviewing the unions’ concerns. To address these issues directly, a meeting has been scheduled with union leaders on September 17, 2024. The meeting aims to facilitate open dialogue and provide President Tinubu with the opportunity to address the unions’ concerns comprehensively.
In light of these developments, the Minister appealed to the unions to reconsider their planned protest and allow for constructive discussions.
The government believes that through collaborative engagement, a mutually beneficial solution can be achieved, securing the sector’s future and operational stability.
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See Photos of World’s Tallest and Shortest Women Meet for Afternoon Tea in London
The world’s tallest woman and the world’s shortest woman met for the first time this week, sipping tea from china cups — and bonding over what they have in common while celebrating their differences.
Jyoti Amge, shortest woman, and Rumeysa Gelgi, tallest woman, meet for the first time and share afternoon tea
Rumeysa Gelgi, from Turkey, stands at 7 feet and 0.7 inches, while Jyoti Amge, from India, is 2 feet and 0.7 inches.
Jyoti Amge, shortest woman, and Rumeysa Gelgi, tallest woman, meet for the first time and share afternoon tea
Jyoti Amge, shortest woman, and Rumeysa Gelgi, tallest woman, meet for the first time and share afternoon tea
Jyoti Amge, shortest woman, and Rumeysa Gelgi, tallest woman, meet for the first time and share afternoon tea
“You’re so beautiful,” said Gelgi, 27. “Thank you — you too,” replied Amge, 30.
Their meeting, over afternoon tea at London’s Savoy Hotel on Tuesday, came ahead of Guinness World Records Day, which is held annually in November to mark record-breaking achievements and encourage people to attempt records. The pair have been honored as “World Record icons” in the 70th anniversary edition of the Guinness World Records book.
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“Meeting Jyoti for the first time was wonderful,” Gelgi said in a release Wednesday. “She’s the most gorgeous lady. I was waiting to meet her for a long time.”
Gelgi said the pair bonded over their love for makeup, jewelry and doing their nails.
Video footage showed them sitting down for tea, cakes and sandwiches stacked next to them, with the London Eye visible from the window.
Amge said in the release that she was “so happy to look up” and see the world’s tallest woman, whom she called “good-natured.” She added that it was difficult at times for the pair to make eye contact “due to our height difference.”
“Guinness World Records is all about celebrating differences,” its editor in chief, Craig Glenday, said in a statement ahead of Guinness World Record Day, which is on Thursday.
“By bringing together these two amazing, iconic women, they can share their perspectives on life with each other and, also, with us,” Glenday said.
Gelgi’s record-breaking height is due to a rare genetic condition called Weaver syndrome, which causes rapid growth, according to the National Organization for Rare Disorders.
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The primary symptom is growth and bone development that occurs faster than usual, making those affected taller than average. People with Weaver syndrome may have rigid muscles and difficulty extending their elbows or knees.
Gelgi used a walking aid for support during the pair’s meeting. Her case of Weaver syndrome was the 27th ever diagnosed and the first in Turkey, according to Guinness World Records.
Weaver syndrome is generally caused by changes in the EZH2 gene, according to the NORD, though the organization notes that some people with Weaver syndrome do not have a mutation in the gene.
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Amge, an actor who played the character of Ma Petite in the television series “American Horror Story,” has a genetic growth disorder that occurs in the early stages of fetal development, known as achondroplasia.
According to Johns Hopkins, the condition causes shorter bones, abnormally shaped bones and shorter stature. While the genetic defect can be passed from parent to child, in about 80 percent of cases, achondroplasia results from a spontaneous mutation that occurs in the developing embryo.
On Thursday, Gelgi shared photos on Instagram of the two exploring London despite the cold weather, posing side by side in front of Tower Bridge.
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