Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) on Tuesday kicked
against the plan to deregulate the African airspace as an endorsement of
Yamoussoukro Decision, which was agreed on by African states in Yamoussoukro,
Cote’Ivoire in 1988.
The open sky for Africa allows easy entry and exit
of African airlines to the airspace of each country without immigration
hindrances in order to enhance connectivity and trade among African countries,
but since the policy was ratified in 1999, it has not been fully embraced by
African states.
Nigerian airlines which rejected the policy said
they were not carried along in the discussions leading to the endorsement of
the implementation of the policy, and alleged that if embraced, it would
shortchange the industry.
The airlines also argued that there is no level
playing field where Nigeria can compete with other African carriers, which
still enjoy some protectionism, lower interest rate on loans and waivers on
import duty for aircraft and spares.
Speaking during a sensitisation workshop on the
implementation of Single Africa Air Transport Market (SAATM), the President of
AON, Captain Nogie Meggison, said before taking decisions, Nigeria's technical
team should have been carried along so that they could deliberate on how the
policies would benefit Nigeria.
"We must put Nigeria first. If we open the
skies, what advantages does Nigeria stand to gain? The domestic airlines are
not comfortable with the policy. Do we have visas to travel around Africa
before we open the skies? Are the taxes in Nigeria and that of other countries
uniform?" Meggison queried.
He said in order to discourage competition, some
African states particularly target Nigerian airlines and charge them outrageous
levies when they operate to those countries, including charging as much as $5,000
as landing fee, while Nigeria charges them about $200.
He recalled that when Air Peace wanted to operate
to Abidjan, they charged it $5,000 per landing.
"Are they opening the sky on a level playing
ground? African airlines easily access foreign exchange, but Nigerian airlines
don't. Rwanda Air is government owned. I borrow money at 28 percent interest
rate, while other African airlines borrow money at two percent interest rate.
As a result of policies on ground, over 50 airlines have gone under in Nigeria.
Let us first address our own issues before implementing the open skies
policy," Meggison said.
However, the Minister of State for Aviation,
Senator Hadi Sirika, who was represented by the Managing Director of the
Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Fola Akinkuotu, said Nigeria is
committed to the full implementation of the Single African Air Transport Market
(SAATM), which would be inaugurated next Friday in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
According to him, Africa must leverage on the
immense potential offered by SAATM and the Yamoussoukro decision to enhance
traffic connectivity and significant growth in passengers volumes over the next
few years.
He said: “We must all therefore strive to commit to
the full implementation and operationalisation of SAATM; we need to leap
forward so as to become an effective global competitor in aviation.
“In this regard, Nigeria being one of the pioneer member
states signatories to YD, is one of the 23 states that have so far made solemn
commitment to the implementation of SAATM by 2018."
Also, the Director-General of the NCAA, Muhtar
Usman, said the importance of SAATM to African aviation cannot be
over-emphasised.
“Thus, it is imperative that we organise this
sensitisation workshop to intensify awareness campaign among the critical
stakeholders on the impact as well as benefits of SAATM on the industry and
national economy,” he said.
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