We’ll pay our debts, airlines assure NCAA

Airline operators in the country have assured the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority that all outstanding debts will be paid in line with an agreement reached with the agency a week ago.

The assurance was given during a meeting between the management of the agency, led by the Director-General, Capt. Muhtar Usman, and representatives of the Airline Operators of Nigeria at the NCAA office in Lagos on Wednesday.

A statement by the General Manager, Public Relations, NCAA, Sam Adurogboye, quoted the AON Chairman, Capt. Noggie Meggison, as saying it was incontrovertible that the operators were heavily indebted to the agency, but that all unremitted funds would be fully paid.

Meggison expressed gratitude to the DG for holding meetings with all the operators, adding that the move was long expected.

He also called for a retreat where the stakeholders would meet to brainstorm on some knotty issues, which the operators and the entire industry were confronted with.

Responding, Usman enjoined the airlines to comply as agreed because the issue of ticket and cargo sales charges was sacrosanct.

According to him, the remittance of the charges enables the regulatory authority and other benefitting agencies to effectively carry out their regulatory and statutory responsibilities.

The DG emphasized the need for automation by the operators, saying this would offer real-time transparent transactions, and put an end to discrepancies over figures.

He directed that all reconciliations must be done within the 60-day window provided and also advised the operators to forward all required documents that would help in verifying conflicting claims.

Usman advised the operators to be alive to their responsibilities and challenges, adding that they should take advantage of the various Bilateral Air Services Agreements entered into by the Federal Government to compete with their foreign counterparts thereby, generating the much needed foreign exchange.

The DG assured the operators that there would be a broader stakeholders’ forum soon where the various grievances could be looked into and addressed.