Odimmegwa Johnpeter/Abuja
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) Chapter of the National Association of Air Traffic Engineers (NAAE) has rejected a position reportedly taken by the association’s national leadership on the proposed review of the aviation Ticket Sales Charge (TSC) sharing formula.
Their position was contained on Wednesday in a statement signed by the association’s chapter Chairman, Mr. Agunloye Frederick.
They warned that any reduction in the NCAA’s allocation could weaken aviation safety oversight in the country.
In a communiqué, the chapter said it was not consulted before the position was made public, stressing that the statement did not reflect the views of its members within the NCAA.
“The NCAA Chapter of NAAE was neither consulted nor carried along before the publication. Consequently, we respectfully dissociate ourselves from the publication, and it should not be regarded as the collective position of all NAAE members across the aviation industry,” the communiqué stated.
The chapter argued that the Ticket Sales Charge is the primary source of funding for the NCAA’s statutory responsibilities, including safety oversight, certification of airlines and airports, consumer protection, economic regulation, implementation of International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards, and continuous surveillance of the aviation sector.
It cautioned that reducing the regulator’s share of the TSC would have far-reaching implications for aviation safety and regulatory efficiency.
According to the communiqué, such a move could lead to fewer safety inspections, delays in certification and licensing processes, inadequate training of inspectors, reduced acquisition of specialised oversight equipment, weaker compliance with international safety standards, and slower responses to emerging safety concerns.
“A strong regulator is the foundation of a safe aviation industry. Weakening the regulator through inadequate funding weakens the entire aviation ecosystem,” the chapter said.
While recognising the financial challenges facing the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), the engineers maintained that addressing one agency’s funding needs should not come at the expense of another institution with critical statutory responsibilities.
They urged stakeholders to pursue sustainable funding mechanisms capable of strengthening all aviation agencies rather than redistributing existing resources in a way that could compromise safety.
The chapter also called on the national leadership of NAAE and other industry stakeholders to embrace broader consultation and evidence-based engagement before taking public positions on policy issues affecting the aviation industry.
It reaffirmed its commitment to supporting policies that promote aviation safety, regulatory excellence, and collaboration across the sector.
END
