Petroleum Workers Protest Helicopter Landing Fee

Petroleum industry employees, represented by the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), have jointly protested the recently introduced landing fees for helicopter operators.

In a collective statement by NUPENG’s General Secretary Afolabi Olawale and PENGASSAN’s General Secretary, Lumumba Okugbawa, the petroleum workers criticized the Federal Ministry of Aviation for imposing high charges on helicopter operators despite the current economic challenges faced by businesses and individuals.

The petroleum workers expressed their discontent, stating that it displayed a lack of sensitivity, especially considering the Federal Government’s ongoing efforts to attract investors in the oil and gas industry by offering various incentives.

“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 transportrt 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 for the Federal Government,” the statement reads.