NUPENG, PENGASSAN demand reversal of helicopter landing fee

Petroleum workers, under the auspices of the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, have called for the withdrawal of the newly imposed landing charges on helicopter operators.

In a joint statement by NUPENG’s General Secretary Afolabi Olawale and PENGASSAN’s General Secretary, Lumumba Okugbawa, they condemned the Federal Ministry of Aviation’s imposition of exorbitant fees on helicopter operators during this period of economic hardship for businesses and citizens.

“These new charges, which include a four per cent 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.”

“We recall that a recent memo directed 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,” the statement reads.

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The petroleum workers said it was very insensitive at a time when the Federal Government was shopping for investors in the oil and gas industry and muting various incentives to make the industry attractive.