(http://edge.punchng.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Secretary-General-Airlines-Operators-of-Nigeria-Captain-Mohammed-joji-360x279.jpg)
The Secretary-General, Airlines Operators of Nigeria, Captain Mohammed joji, has asked the Federal Government to investigate how aviation agencies, particularly the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency spent their multibillion naira Internally Generated Revenue.
Joji, in an interview with our correspondent in Lagos, on Friday, said the poor state of the nation's airports, showed that the multimillion dollars realised by the agencies from various airport and navigational taxes annually was not being directed to the right channel.
FAAN, which oversees the nation's airports, generates over N25bn every year while NAMA reportedly makes over N4bn every year.
FAAN collects various airports taxes including the aircraft landing and parking charges, passenger service charge and airports rents from airlines in dollars.
NAMA collects navigational charges such as terminal and overflyer charges from airlines.
He said, "The Internally Generated Revenue of FAAN must be carefully scrutinised and investigated. Where is the money going to? FAAN and NAMA must be carefully scrutinised. People are paying dollars. Where is the dollars going? Where are the charges going to? These are the things we must look at if we hope to give a better airport to Nigerians."
Joji said the various airport taxes being charged at the local and international terminals of the nation's airports were not justifiable, adding that the charges were high compared to the services FAAN was offering.
"If the airport is remodelled very well and every facility, including the runway lights, is working very well, you can charge whatever you want. But for now, you cannot justify what you are charging," he said.
Joji, who is also the Chief Executive Officer of Skypower Express Airlines, said past aviation ministers must be held responsible for airport concession deals, which had been trailed by controversy and crises for a very long time.
The aviator asked the Federal Government to invite past aviation ministers for questioning over the concessions deals they signed on behalf of the government.
Such probe, he said, would not only help the industry players to learn their lessons, but help in moving the critical sector forward.
Joji condemned the manner government had cancelled some concession deals recently, saying such development could send wrong signals to foreign investors.
He said, "If you sign a contract with indigenous companies such as Bi-Courtney and Maevis, you need to keep to the terms of such contract. All these contracts that FAAN has been violating after signing the agreements do not augur well with people at all. Government needs to ensure such thing never happens again otherwise it will erode the investors' confidence."
The Punch