The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) Chapter of the National Association of Air Traffic Engineers (NAAE) has publicly dissociated itself from the position taken by the National President of the association on the proposed review of the Ticket Sales Charge (TSC) sharing formula, saying the statement was issued without the chapter's knowledge or input.
In a communiqué signed by the Chairman of the NCAA Chapter of the National Association of Air Traffic Engineers (NAAE) on behalf of all members of the chapter, made available on Thursday, the association said it was not consulted before the publication and that the views expressed should not be interpreted as representing all members of NAAE across the country's aviation agencies.
The chapter stressed that policy issues affecting the aviation industry require broad-based consultation, particularly in an association whose membership cuts across several aviation institutions.
According to the communiqué, the Ticket Sales Charge is a statutory levy collected from airline passengers and distributed among aviation agencies to support their individual statutory responsibilities in maintaining aviation safety, security and operational efficiency.
The NCAA Chapter argued that the Civil Aviation Authority relies heavily on its allocation from the fund because, unlike service providers, it is primarily a regulatory agency with limited commercial sources of revenue.
It noted that the Authority uses the funds to discharge its core responsibilities, including certification and licensing of airlines, airports, maintenance organisations, aviation training institutions and air navigation service providers. The allocation also supports routine surveillance, safety inspections, consumer protection, economic regulation, accident prevention programmes, enforcement of aviation regulations and compliance with international safety standards.
The communiqué further stated that the funds finance inspector training, procurement of specialised regulatory equipment, information technology systems, cybersecurity, laboratory services and Nigeria's participation in programmes of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
It also highlighted the NCAA's responsibility for paying Nigeria's statutory contributions to international aviation bodies such as the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC) and the Banjul Accord Group Aviation Safety Oversight Organisation (BAGASOO), warning that any major reduction in funding could weaken the country's aviation oversight system.
The chapter listed likely consequences of reduced funding to include fewer safety inspections, delays in certification and licensing processes, inadequate training for inspectors, reduced surveillance of airlines and airports, inability to acquire modern oversight equipment, weaker compliance with ICAO standards and possible damage to Nigeria's international aviation safety reputation.
While recognising the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency's need for increased investment in communications, navigation, surveillance and air traffic management infrastructure, the chapter maintained that addressing one agency's funding challenges should not undermine the statutory functions of another.
It called on aviation stakeholders and the national leadership of NAAE to prioritise dialogue, wider consultation and evidence-based decision-making before making public pronouncements on issues affecting the industry.
The communiqué reaffirmed the NCAA Chapter's commitment to strengthening aviation safety, effective regulation and collaboration among aviation agencies in the national interest.