The federal government of Nigeria has recorded a massive loss following the old laid-down airport rules. The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, on Tuesday, May 14, 2024, revealed that the Federal Government 82 percent, which is equivalent to N10 billion, following the old airport toll gates rules.
These statistics were revealed to the state house correspondent towards the end of a two-day closed-door meeting of the Federal Executive Council.
The minister lamented that the aviation sector has accumulated 82 percent in the negative from the complimentary e-tags printed by the ministry due to the e-tags being given to VIPs for free.
He stated, “Let me give you the shocking statistics. The negative figure that we get at the end of the day from the complimentary e-tags is 82 percent, in the negative.
In other words, where we are supposed to have a 100 percent contract on the e-costs from these e-tags that we print, it is only 18 percent that we now end up selling. That is how bad it is. 18 percent and 82 percent of these e-tags are given out free of charge to VIPs. So, imagine the loss in my sector, and I ask myself,’ Which other sector will I go to that they give me anything free?’
Keyamo reiterates that he pays his dues and every required charge in every sector as a law-abiding citizen of Nigeria. Hence, he refuses to offer VIP treatment to help generate revenue for this aviation ministry.
He emphasized that the VIPs are the first to call him out when they see loopholes or poorly rendered services.
Citing a practical example, he said, “In one of the access gates, based on the count of the barrier going up and down, we are supposed to be making N250m or 260 million from that gate every month. That gate, because of exemptions, the return to us is less than N100 million every month,”
However, FEC has decided that the President, Vice President, other dignitaries, and government officials would start paying access fees or the e-tag at all 24 federal airports across the country.
