NCAA accuses airline operators of illegally converting five percent PSC, CSC of over N19b and $7.8m for personal use
…as NAMA, FAAN list indebtedness
The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA says, the Airline Operators of Nigeria, AON have refused to remit over N19 billion and over $7.8 billion accruing from five percent ticket sales and cargo sales charges as at July belonging to the authority.
The Director General, NCAA, Captain Musa Nuhu at a news conference in Abuja on the state of the aviation industry in Nigeria said, the AON has illegally converted the money for their own use.
Two more agencies also listed the indebtedness of the operators and its effects on their operations.
The aviation agencies accused the Airline operators of Nigeria, AON of defrauding them of their revenue of over N30 billion and $20 million.
Heads of the aviation agencies say, they have been pushed to the wall to expose the indebtedness of the operators based on the letter written to the Minister of Aviation Senator Hadi Sirika accusing them of multiple charges and taxes.
The Director General, Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, Captain Musa Nuhu said, it was unfair for the operators to accuse and paint them black before the public for charging what is statutorily comparable to what obtains in neighboring countries like Ghana.
“As at July 2022 AON members have collected over N19 billion and $7.6 million for TSC and CSC which they have deliberately refused to remit to the authority all the airlines are quilt of this and the non-remittance of these funds has denied the agency their legitimate income”.
The Managing Directors, Nigeria Airspace Management Agency, NAMA, Mr. Lawrence Pwajok and Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, Captain Rabiu Yadudu said, the failure of the airlines to pay what was expected of them is also affecting the agencies’ operations, especially in the areas of training, payment of salaries amongst others.
“The foreign debts is $9,860, 401 as at 30th June, 2022. We are owing pensioners, staff, contractors. We all have challenges if the agencies are not talking doesn’t mean they don’t have issues”.
Responding, the Vice President, AON, Mr. Allen Onyema and Captain Edward Boyo apologized on behalf of the body and said part of the letter was inappropriate and was not intended to hurt the agencies.
“We did go reporting NAMA, NCAA, FAAN, whoever made that report was not being fair and I wouldn’t be surprised if that story was sown by some members of AON”.
The meeting later went into a close session as tempers flared and the media was excused as some sensitive matters were being discussed.
