The Federal Government’s revenue drive has turned its focus on payment for access to airports with a new order that everybody must pay including the President, Vice President and others hitherto exempted.

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace, Festus Keyamo, stated this while briefing State House Correspondents shortly after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on Tuesday.

Recall that the FEC meeting was adjourned on Monday May 13, 2024 to Tuesday being one of those rare occasions when such meetings lasted beyond scheduled hours.

Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris,  while addressing the media on Monday said the Council could not take all the memos that were to be presented by members hence the meeting was inconclusive.

However, after the meeting on Tuesday, Keyamo said no one would be exempted from paying for access into the airports including foreign guests.

The situation where some persons refuse to pay for access to airports with the claim that they are Very Important Personalities (VIPs) would no longer be tenable, he said.

The minister regretted that out of 100% E-tags printed, only 18% are paid for, thereby leading to loss of revenues in the aviation sector.

“Council has approved that henceforth nobody will be exempted from paying for access into our airports.

“The President and the Vice President have also said they should not be excluded from this new policy,” Keyamo said.