Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), has called on its members with bad debts to engage the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and Nigerian Airspace Management Authority (NAMA) on their repayment plans.
The AON who was speaking against the backdrop of the report that airlines are owing aviation agencies N42 billion and $7.8 million NCAA will cripple the agencies.
However, in a press statement by the AON, they stated that airlines were operating under harsh conditions in the country and that every airline in the world is indebted and are settled as their operations go on hence stating that it was no reason to criminalize the airlines.
In a statement by the vice president, AON, Barr. Allen Onyema, he said, ”Our attention has been drawn to news making the rounds that the DG NCAA, Capt. Musa Nuhu, accused airlines of defrauding government aviation agencies like the FAAN, NCAA and NAMA of over N19billion while converting same to ‘personal use’”.
“The AON wishes to state its very strong reservations for such accusations and we deny very strongly that our members are defrauding or defrauded government agencies of the said amount or any amount for that matter.
“Airline Operations, worldwide, is not a cash and carry business. Every airline in the world owes debts which are settled as their operations go on. Nigeria is not an exception.
“It is true that some of our members have very bad debts but not all our members owe such debts. The owing of debts in itself does not amount to fraud. We frown very strongly at the criminalisation of all Nigerian airlines as a result of the said debts.
“Various parties were present at a stakeholders’ meeting and the DG NCAA did not at any time use such words to describe Nigerian airlines. Rather, the meeting ended on an amicable note with everyone agreeing to work together to address the debts.
“It is pertinent to point out that some of these debts are owed by some airlines that are no longer in existence.
“We, however, advise our members with such bad debts to engage the agencies and put forward repayment plans. Airlines in Nigeria are operating under very harsh environment and need all the support from everyone.”
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