.. As stakeholders condemn National Assembly interference in NCAA functions
The Aviation Ground Handling Association of Nigeria (AGHAN) is set to commence an indefinite strike on Friday to ensure the commencement of the new safety threshold handling rates approved by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA about two months ago.
The ground handlers threats to go on strike is based on the interference of the National Assembly halting the take-off of the approval granted by the NCAA .
The implementation of the new rates will see the handlers charge between $1,500 and $5,000 (passenger and cargo flights) for narrow and wide body aircraft on international routes, respectively, while for domestic operators it was upped to N20,000 and N70,000, depending on the aircraft type.
It will be noted that the increment of the new safety threshold handling rates is coming after 36 years with commencement dates slated for October 1, 2021 (for international) and January 1, 2022 (for local) operators.
This development is coming just as some aviation stakeholders have called on the National Assembly to stop interfering in the regulatory functions of the director general of the Nigerian Civil aviation Authority, NCAA as an autonomous body in regards to new safety threshold handling rates approved by the body.
Speaking on this development, President Sabre Network West Africa and Aviation Round Table, ART, Dr. Gabriel Olowo, noted that political interference especially where it hinges on Safety should be condemned in very strong terms, adding that Aviation global frowns at such scenario.
Dr Olowo stated that the increment is absolutely justifiable given global economic indexes on all factors of production that has increased astronomically, including severe currency fluctuations.
The ART President pointed out that the refusal by government not to allow the prices to be driven by market forces suggests that the operators may be enjoying all sorts of subsidies, waivers and others which is just a speculation.
In his contribution, Director,Research, Zenith Travel, Olumide Ohunayo called on the Nation Assembly to back off from interfering with the decisions taken by the regulator of the industry.
Ohunayo noted that this development will not augur well for Nigeria’s achievements on safety level, based on the prowess of the NCAA and its ability to sustain its American FAA category 1 status over the years
He pointed out that this has made the NCAA to retain all certification from FAA and ICAO.
Ohunayo appealed to the House Committee on Aviation and Senate Committee to back off from the decisions taken by NCAA with respect to the industry.
He said: “Rather, all they can do is to advice or raise a resolution and pass it across to the regulator or ask other industry players to speak on such issues instead of interfering directly on such issues. It boomeranged with what has happened with AOC of NG Eagle and it also boomeranged with the pressure being put on the ground handlers.
He observed that political interference will make Nigeria lose face in the comity of nations, principally with the regulator.
We might be seen as a country, which doesn’t follow standards and recommended practices of ICAO and as applied in other climes, Ohunayo added.
He called on the ground handling companies not to withdraw their services; stressing that it’s a critical part of the industry.
He advised the ground handlers to continue to discuss with the regulators, House of Representatives if they show reasons for that .
According to him:
“We have to be factual, the ticket fares have increased from 1990 till now, reflecting the reality of today. the ticket you are paying N50,000, N60,000 for, was below N10,000 20 years ago. So, should the ground handlers remain stunted or stand by to the over 30 years agreement and their equipment are not procured in Nigeria? In the same market, they don’t have a special rate, they buy dollars from the black market to pay for these things. How will they survive?”
In his comments, chief executive officer, CEO, Centurion Security Services , Grp. John Ojikutu, stated that political interference has been some form of deterrence in the progress of the nation’s economic sector and has caused the defunct or the downfalls of most Nigerian airlines, including the Nigeria Airways.
Ojikutu stated that political actors in and out of government often ask for debts concessions or government intervention funds for private operators and sometimes government services providers where they have personal and individual interests.
While justifying the increment, Ojikutu observed that the problem is not much with the implementation of the new rates by the company, but the multiple layers of agencies charges at in the airports.
He stressed that there is the need to advise the NASS members of the aviation committees to have copies of the CAA and Regulations, which they promulgated, read them to know where they have powers in them before they exercise those powers.
This is just as a former director in NCAA who pleaded for anonymity expressed concern about what is going on at the moment.
He stated the NCAA went through the ministry, agencies and the national assembly in getting the regulation.
“We made it clear to them then that we should have an NCAA without political interference and this is very important. I think this issue can be resolved because this issue is not good for us as an industry and a nation.
Category One is the highest rating and if you down it, you can be relegated. This has happened to many countries because of cases like these in the past,” he said.
