Chai! My people, aviation sector for Naija no dey show any sign of chill as wahala dey increase. Omo, dem don raise airport and ticket charges again, and experts don dey shout for matter wey fit scatter wetin remain for our airlines.
The former Commandant of Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Grp. Capt. John Ojikutu (retd), no dey find am funny at all. E don raise alarm say if Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) no check their new levies well, plenty aviation companies go just dey pack their bags, dey close shop!
Ojikutu talk say: “See, before FAAN go dey impose new charges, dem suppose sit down calculate wetin dem dey earn already from passenger traffic and all those flight operations wahala.” And e no be lie! He even give us numbers say airports suppose dey gather at least N400 billion yearly! E no even include tomfoolery like cargo terminals and airport tolls.
Dem don dey complain say most of the money wey FAAN dey collect no go towards bettering airport services. He don talk say dem never even separate seccurity fence from perimeter fence since 2004! Wetin be this na? Airport no suppose be like market wey no get order!
Dem dey also spend big for capital projects wey fit make person jaw drop! For instance, N712 billion just for MMIA Terminal One but ordinary airport wey be for Abuja na N535 billion for second runway! E no clear if dem dey shine our eyes for this spending o! Ojikutu talk am say na fraudulent spending be this.
Meanwhile, Dr. Alex Nwuba, wey be President of Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association of Nigeria, no too smile for how dem dey charge passengers and cargo. He don join say all those 5% Ticket Sales Charge and Value Added Tax wey dem dey add no make sense at all. E no dey transparent! Dem don even reduce cargo fee to N15 per kg but the calculation no dey clear.
Nwuba dey yell say historical pricing no fit be the reason for aviation charges. He talk say under ICAO principles, charges suppose dey linked to how much service dey cost. You no fit just dey form tax for aviation wahala!
Na im be say, we get new resolution from ECOWAS wey go help reduce charges but Nwuba dey doubt if dem go fit implement am. If dem fit put out clear cost studies, aviation no go just dey look for money, but go dey deliver real service! Wetin you sabi?
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