– As Ag. DGCA Unveils Agenda
LAGOS – Peeved by the continuous rise in debts by airlines, especially by the indigenous carriers, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), has declared that debtor airlines would no longer be rendered services unless they clear their backlogs or schedule payment plans with it.
This is as Capt. Chris Najomo, the Acting Director-General Civil Aviation (ADGCA) has unveiled its developmental plans for the agency.
Speaking at the maiden meeting with aviation correspondents over the weekend at the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA), Lagos with the theme: ‘NCAA Project 2024,’ Najomo said that unless the debtor airlines pay their old debts, the agency would withdraw its services to them.
He specifically said that the renewal of Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC) is still tied to the payment of the debt by recalcitrant airlines, saying that this is one of the means by which old debts could be recovered from such carriers.
Though, Najomo did not mention the amount of money owed the agency by airlines, but the regulatory body had in January last year, put the total debts of the indigenous carriers at N19 billion and $7.8 million, accruing from the mandatory 5 per cent Ticket Sales Charge/Cargo Sales Charge (TSC/CSC) to the coffers of the authority.
Also, the New Civil Aviation Act 2023, had stipulated N5 million fine or two years jail sentences or both to any airline that refuses to remit the TSC/CSC collected from passengers on behalf of NCAA.
The New CAA 2022 Section 23(1) stated that there would be a 5% of airfare, contract, charter and cargo sales charge payable to the NCAA and this applies on all international and domestic air transportation originating in Nigeria, irrespective of place of sales, issuance of air ticket or execution of the contract of carriage.
The 5 per cent TSC/CSC is shared among four aviation agencies; NCAA, Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMET) and the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) at different percentages.
Najomo explained that the drive for debt recovery became more important at this time following the contribution of its 50 per cent revenue into the Treasury Single Account (TSA) of the Federal Government.
He, however, clarified that NCAA does not earn revenue but it is a cost recovery agency and hoped that the organization would be exempted from the policy soon.
He said: “A debt recovery joint task force shall be mandated to implement the cost recovery drive. All debtors to NCAA shall seize to receive services from the authority. We are intensifying our cost recovery drive; the Federal Government now takes 50 per cent of the money and most of the airlines are owing us. We have told them to pay up.
“A debt recovery joint task force shall be mandated to implement the cost recovery drive. All debtors to NCAA shall cease to receive services from the authority, there shall be operation no pay, no service and there will be strict sanctions for defaulting operators.”
Najomo further explained that the cardinal focus of NCAA project 2024 would deal with simplifying certification and licensing processes, enhanced surveillance and intensified consumer protection.
He maintained that this would enhance the ease-of-doing-business policy of the Federal Government, assuring that NCAA would ensure the transformation of the industry and create comfort for passengers and other users of the airports nationwide.
“NCAA is committed to implementing a simplified certification/licensing system to streamline the approval process. This will be extended to other authorisations, approvals and permits.
“This is a derivative of the ease-of-doing-business philosophy towards encouraging growth of the aviation industry.”
On consumer protection, Najomo pointed out that there are consumer protection officers monitoring airlines operations at all the 22 Federal Government-owned airports, but said that some of the passengers were “flying for the first time and so, may not be aware of their presence.”
He, however, explained that in order to permanently address the challenge, the NCAA in the next few weeks would unveil a consumer protection portal where consumers’ complaints could be logged and attended to almost immediately.
Najomo further informed that some delays and cancellations were due to weather and other issues, which could not be blamed on the airlines.
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