Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika has disclosed that airlines operators are indebted to the Federal Government in sums worth $6,993,234.00 and N19,365,374,686.00 in unremitted fees.
His statement comes just as the Senate Committee on Aviation, Smart Adeyemi, said the N4 billion the Federal Government planned as bailout for airline operators to cushion the harsh effects of the COVID-19 pandemic was “too little”.
Sirika and Adeyemi spoke in Abuja at the commencement of a three-day public hearing on the repeal and re-enactment of six Aviation Bills organised by the Senate Committee on Aviation.
Sirika said: “We have concerns and they are very genuine. NCAA operates on cost recovery basis.
“They (AON) are owing us $6,993,234.00 and N19,365,374,686.00. She (Unaegburam) is proposing that the percentage goes down; and the money is not there.
“These are funds we get from tickets and they (operators) ought to be remitting this money so that we can train more inspectors and keep the industry safe.”
