The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has warned that any move to reduce its statutory share of the Ticket Sales Charge (TSC) could undermine aviation safety and weaken the country’s regulatory oversight.
NCAA’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu,gave the warning on Tuesday while speaking with newsmen in Abuja.
TheFact Daily reports that the warning comes amid consideration by the National Assembly of a Bill seeking to reduce the NCAA’s allocation from the five per cent Ticket Sales Charge in favour of NAMA.
He cautioned that attempts to divert a greater portion of the agency’s revenue to the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) would significantly affect the regulator’s ability to perform its safety oversight functions.
Achimugu argued that while NAMA was established to operate as a self-sustaining agency, the NCAA relies on the TSC to fund its regulatory responsibilities after the Federal Government transferred that obligation through the cost-recovery mechanism.
According to him, further cuts to the Authority’s revenue would have far-reaching implications for aviation safety.
“The reason planes are not falling from the sky today under this administration, unlike in the past, is because of the CAA,” he said.
He stressed that aviation safety depends largely on the competence of regulators, noting that NCAA inspectors must possess higher technical expertise than the operators they supervise.
“The staff of the regulatory agency must be better trained than the service providers they regulate. If inspectors do not possess superior technical knowledge, they cannot effectively enforce safety standards,” Achimugu said.
He added that the NCAA’s effective oversight had helped Nigeria record impressive performances in international aviation safety and security audits while also strengthening the enforcement of passenger rights.
“The reason Nigeria continues to excel in safety and security audits is because of the NCAA. The reason passengers’ rights are better protected today is because of the NCAA,” he said.
Achimugu maintained that the Authority requires increased funding rather than reductions, describing it as a cost-recovery agency whose primary responsibility is safeguarding lives.
“The NCAA needs more funding, not less. We are a cost-recovery agency, not a revenue-generating one. Proper funding ensures inspectors remain well-trained and adequately remunerated, reducing the risk of compromise and protecting the flying public,” he stated.
He urged agencies with independent revenue-generating mandates to focus on improving their own funding sources instead of seeking a larger share of the NCAA’s statutory allocation.
The NCAA spokesman disclosed that the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, had intervened in the dispute and was engaging all parties to find a resolution.
“The Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development is already on top of these issues, discussing with all parties,” Achimugu said, urging stakeholders to refrain from making inflammatory public statements while consultations continue.
He also dismissed reports alleging that the NCAA was indebted to NAMA, explaining that statutory deductions and remittances are handled directly by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
“The NCAA does not make remittances directly to the agency. The CBN does so. From our checks, the remittances were being processed. So, the issue of NCAA owing anybody does not arise,” he said.
