Oil and Gas workers in Nigeria have asked 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.
In a statement jointly signed by NUPENG General Secretary Afolabi Olawale and 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.
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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.
The group insisted that 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 however, stated that the unpopular decision has a detrimental impact on the sector, stressing that the 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 demanded an immediate withdrawal of the charges.
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