Tinubu to Receive Briefing on Aviation Dispute Resolution from Keyamo

Following a marathon meeting with stakeholders, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, is set to brief President Bola Tinubu on the recent developments in the aviation sector. The meeting, which was convened on an emergency basis, brought together feuding parties in the sector, including unions and the Airline Operators of Nigeria, to resolve the lingering dispute over the Ticket Sales Charge. Keyamo, who joined the meeting virtually, presided over the deliberations, which resulted in a five-point resolution aimed at addressing the unions' grievances. The resolution includes a plan for airlines with outstanding obligations to provide payment schedules, which will be spread over a reasonable period, taking into account the airlines' operating costs and the prevailing economic realities. The parties also agreed that the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority and other aviation agencies would obtain these payment schedules and ensure that the payments are made accordingly. Furthermore, the meeting resolved that workers in the aviation sector have the right to decide whether or not to belong to a trade union, and that the airline management should not interfere with this right. The NCAA has been directed to ensure that unions have direct access to workers across all airlines for the purpose of distributing union membership forms. The parties agreed to reconvene after one month to assess the implementation of the resolutions and review the state of the dispute. The meeting was a follow-up to the industrial action embarked upon by the unions, which disrupted flight operations and left hundreds of passengers stranded at airports. However, following interventions by the Federal Government and other stakeholders, the unions suspended the action and agreed to further dialogue. Keyamo assured stakeholders that the government remains committed to resolving the issues without compromising the safety, efficiency, and viability of the aviation industry.