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| Tinubu and Shettima to Incur Toll Charges at Airports – Keyamo |
In a press briefing following the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on Tuesday, Keyamo revealed that the ministry has received FEC's endorsement to implement the policy without any exceptions.
Festus Keyamo, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, has announced that the ministry is set to initiate the enforcement of mandatory access fee payments by all individuals at Federal Airport toll gates throughout the nation.
In a press briefing following the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on Tuesday, Keyamo revealed that the ministry has received FEC's endorsement to implement the policy without any exceptions.
Keyamo unveiled that the initial proposal suggested exempting President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima, but the President himself demanded that there be no exemptions, insisting that all citizens, including his own convoy, should comply.
"The first authorization we secured was concerning the compulsory payment of access fees by every visitor at our federal airport toll gates countrywide. No more exemptions. Upon assuming office, we encountered a custom where various VIPs would request complimentary e-tags or stickers at year's end.
They evade the access fees. They avoid paying for parking and essential airport services, despite being VIPs. I resolved with my team that this would not continue under my tenure. It's unthinkable that in our nation, VIPs are the ones exempt from paying for services, while the less affluent bear the costs.
The VIPs, who are expected to afford these services, instead impose the burden on the less affluent. I refused to accept this. I insisted we need the council's support to mandate compliance from everyone. Surprisingly, our memo proposed excluding the President and the Vice President. Yet, the President countermanded this, declaring that he and the Vice President will pay, as will everyone else," Keyamo stated.
The Minister, expressing concern over the deteriorating airport infrastructure, noted that this has resulted in the loss of billions of Naira each year, "and yet our airport facilities are deteriorating. I'm in search of concessionaires. I'm seeking assistance for the decaying infrastructure, and those who complain the loudest are often the ones who don't contribute to the services. Therefore, to enhance our airport infrastructure, payment for services is essential."
