…Felicitates With Air Travellers, Operators, Stakeholders
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority(NCAA) has urged domestic airlines that are owing aviation agencies the 5 per cent Ticket Sales Charge(TSC), Charter and Cargo Sales Charges(CSC) to put in place modalities for servicing the outstanding debts.
The General Manager, Public Relations, NCAA, Mr Sam Adurogboye, who said this in an online statement made available on Sunday, added that the regulatory body appreciates the cooperation of stakeholders, particularly the airlines towards the safe operations in the outgoing year.
He, however stated that the agency noticed that airlines had not been able to pay their debts as when due, adding that the issue was giving the regulatory body serious concern.
According to him, “The authority however notice with serious concern the huge debts of airlines as a result of failure to settle promptly invoices as at when due. This poses serious financial challenges to the various Parastatals that benefit from the 5 per cent Ticket, Charter and Cargo Sales Charges.”
NCAA ,Adurogboye stated would be pleased to see that airlines put plans in place towards the full liquidation of all outstanding indebtedness, stressing that the settlement of those debts would go a long way in assisting authority fulfill its statutory obligations to the country and the world at large.
The NCAA’s statement is coming few days after the Transport Minister; Hon. Rotimi Amaechi vowed to recover all the debts owed agencies by airlines and other concessionaires allegedly running into billions of naira.
Ameachi had stated during a recent fact finding tour of the Murtala Muhammed Airport(MMA),Lagos, that the debts owed aviation parastatals by airlines and other organisation would not be treated as bad debts because these agencies are not banks.
“Efforts will be made to recover all the debts owed the agencies because there is nothing like bad debt because we are not banks and there will not be any sacred cow.” the Minister had said
On safety, Adurogboye stated that NCAA was fully committed to ensuring that safety regulations were complied with in order to engender safe operations at all times.
The NCAA image maker thanked God for a safe operation in the outgoing year and that the agency looked forward to a safe and secured operation in the coming years.
In his words, “Safety is a collective responsibility and we appreciate the cooperation from all stake holders, particularly the airlines towards the safe operations in the outgoing year.”
He used the opportunity to wish air passengers, airline operators and aviation stakeholders a happy Christmas celebration and a prosperous new year in advance.