Operators threaten lawsuit as NAMA insists on $300 helicopter landing fee
- NAMA said it would soon recommence the collection of the controversial $300 landing fee from helicopter operators in the country
- Industry leaders, however, objected, threatening to sue the agency if the sector was forced to pay the extra charge
- It claimed that the organization's current financial burden will be lessened by the fee's collection
Legit.ng journalist Zainab Iwayemi has 5-year-experience covering the Economy, Technology, and Capital Market.
The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency has said that the controversial $300 landing charge collected from helicopter operators in the nation would soon be reinstituted.
Source: Getty Images
However, The Punch reported that industry leaders resisted, vowing to take the agency to court if the sector was made to pay the additional fee.
Speaking on Thursday in Kano at the 53rd Annual General Meeting of the Nigerian Air Traffic Controllers Association, NAMA's Director of Air Traffic Services, Tayo John, stated that the fee's collection will alleviate the organization's present financial strain.
Presenting a paper titled, ‘Financial Constraints Affecting Nigeria’s Air Navigation Provision: Impact and Mitigation Strategies,’ John claimed that when NAMA started collecting the fee a few months ago, the Federal Government was able to persuade it to waive it; but, he stated that this time, there was no turning back.
However, he did not specify when the government would start enforcing the law governing helicopters operating in the nation's airspace.
He said,
“In the next few weeks, we will recommence the collection of $300 landing fee from helicopter operators. We started earlier, but the government directed us to suspend it then due to some issues in the country, but this time around, we will resume the collection.”
The Federal Government hired NAEBI Dynamic Concept to collect the fee from helicopter landings and takeoffs on and from oil rig platforms and private helipads when it introduced the levy in May through the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development.
The revelation sparked debate among operators and industry insiders regarding the justification for the payment, leading the Nigerian Airline Operators to oppose the Federal government's action.
The airline operators maintained that there was no legal basis or rationale for the corporation to impose this kind of charge.
AON maintained that NAEBI did not offer any services to helicopter operators that would justify such a price, with the exception of certifying helipads, the majority of which are privately owned and for which it imposed a certification fee.
AON went on to say that NAMA's primary responsibility under the Act of 2022 was to supply the navigation services required for aircraft takeoff and landing operations.
John defended the fee's reinstatement by claiming that NAMA's expenses for keeping the necessary staff, supplying the navigation aids, and providing the equipment for air traffic management were extremely high.
Along with complaining that 50% of NAMA's internally generated revenue was taken out of the government coffers, he added that the organization also gives the Nigerian Meteorological Agency 10% of the remittances from the International Air Transport Association.
Budgetary restrictions, problems collecting money, high operating expenses, and reliance on foreign exchange were some of the additional financial limits that NAMA had to deal with.
Speaking with our correspondent, the Managing Director of Aero Contractors, Capt Ado Sanuasi, emphasised that should the charge be enforced, the operators would be left with no other option other than to seek redress before a competent court.
Nigerian company to collect helicopter landing fee
Legit.ng reported that the federal government has announced that NAEBI Dynamic Concepts Limited now has the exclusive right to collect helicopter landing levy at all aerodromes in the country.
NAEBI has also been granted the right to collect levies at Helipads, Airstrips, Floating Production Storage and Offloading Units (FPSOs), and oil rig platforms in Nigeria.
Festus Keyamo, the Minister of Aviation made this known in a memo directed to all operators and stakeholders of civilian helicopter operators in Nigeria.
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Source: Legit.ng
