• As Senate directs NAMA to suspend dollar payments
From ADETUTU FOLASADE-KOYI, Abuja Senate yesterday waded into the imbroglio between the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) and private jet owners over an increase in charges on non-scheduled flights in the country.
Rising from a meeting convened in the National Assembly yesterday, the committee directed NAMA and private jet owners to convene a “stakeholders meeting” to arrive at a “consensus” charge in line with the Civil Aviation Act of 2006.
Senate intervened through its Committee on Aviation and asked NAMA to suspend the new charges imposed on local and foreign registered private airline operators.
The decision was taken after operators claimed before the committee that they were not consulted before the introduction of the new price regime.
By the directive, NAMA is to revert to the status quo ante. No date was fixed for the aviation stakeholders meeting.
These were fallouts of the tripartite mediation meeting convened by the Senate panel over the contentious $3000 and $2500 respectively charged by NAMA on private jets registered abroad and locally.
The suspended fees were paid by private jets for every departure (except round trips without changes in passenger manifest or return ferry) and was paid in advance to NAMA. A representative of the affected airlines, Bala Ibn Na’Allah at the Senate panel’s mediation meeting described the now suspended charges as discriminatory and non-consultative.
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