The Federal Executive Council has approved a memorandum scrapping toll exemptions for all Very Important Persons and government officials using the nation’s airports.
This means that President Bola Tinubu, Vice President Senator Kashim Shettima, and their aides will now pay airport access tolls and parking fees.
According to The PUNCH, the Minister of Aviation, Mr. Festus Keyamo, the government was losing over 82% of its revenue from airport access fees due to exemptions granted to VIPs.
“Our memo says ‘with the exception of the President and the Vice President’. But the President overruled me and said he and the Vice President will pay, he said everybody will pay,” Keyamo revealed.
The Minister lamented that VIPs who have the money to pay tolls are evading payment, leaving the authorities to rely on charges gotten from the poor.
“They don’t pay the access fees. They don’t pay for parking, they don’t pay for essential services at airports, and they are VIPs.
“And I told myself on my team, I said not under my watch. It will not happen,” he said.
Keyamo vowed to end episodes where uniform officers harass airport staff at the gates, assuring citizens that more cameras will be “planted” in strategic positions to capture those culpable.
He said the FG stands to generate N10bn annually from tolls, even as it considers a rebate for military veterans.
Keyamo revealed that the initial memorandum had recommended an exemption for the President and Vice President, but Tinubu overruled this, insisting that everyone, including himself and the VP, must pay tolls.
The Minister expressed frustration that VIPs who can afford to pay tolls were evading payment, leaving the authorities to rely on charges from the poor.
He vowed to end harassment of airport staff by uniformed officers and promised to install more cameras to capture those culpable.
