Huge indebtedness of local airlines to aviation agencies affects their ability to render effective service, Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Ibrahim Abdulsalam, has lamented.
His complaint came as the government engaged a consultant to reconcile the debt of Arik Air to NAMA. The debts of other airlines are being handled through the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON).
Abdulsalam disclosed that NAMA would soon install additional navigational aids at six airports, including Lagos, to boost safety.
He said the debts are a serious issue that should be properly addressed by the government because they could ground NAMA and the airlines.
He listed other challenges to include the soaring price of aviation fuel, unstable power supply, acquisition of aircraft, and payment of salary.
Abdulsalam explained that the government engaged a consultant to reconcile the debt of Arik Air, but noted that the same consultant is consulting for the airline.
He said the double consultancy has stalled progress on the reconciliation which is being resolved.
The government has invited a third party to reconcile the accounts, he added, and this is why aviation agencies have not published the names of debtors.
His words: “The airlines are owned by Nigerians and we need to address the systematic failure that is making them to owe. The major users of their services are the ones that will suffer if the airlines are grounded.
“If the airlines are not there, we don’t have any reason to be in existence as an agency. But, if we can work it out, it would go a long way to improve the image of the country as a lot of problems are not solved by confrontations and threats.”
He enthused that the navigational aids to be installed in six airports would help improve services to airlines and pilots.
Navigational aids that would be removed from some airports will be installed at other airports.
Abdulsalam disclosed that the contract for the navigational aids was awarded by the government and published some time ago in the media.
“This is something that we inherited and we are trying to make the best use of. We want to ensure we put the facilities on the ground and make the best use of them.
“We are just carrying out replacements at six airports and this would definitely affect other airports across the country.”