The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) is to introduce terminal navigation charges by January 2007, Mr Roland Iyayi, Managing Director of NAMA, has said.
The implementation would ensure that airline operators and other users of navigational aids pay for the modern navigation aids being acquired by NAMA.
The idea was however, rejected by the General Secretary of the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), Capt. Mohammed Joji, at the customers forum organised by NAMA in Lagos yesterday to seek input from the customers.
Iyayi said the policy would boost the organisation’s revenue, and insisted that NAMA would start collecting the money in January.
At a forum with stakeholders on Friday in Ikeja, Iyayi foreclosed the revision of the policy and said the forum was called only to get input from airlines.
Iyayi explained that the charges �must be introduced in the interest of sustainability of the modern systems which NAMA is putting in place to enhance safety in the nation’s airspace�.
NAMA was putting in place, facilities that would enable aircraft land at the major international airports at zero visibility from next year to make them Category III compliant, he said.
The equipment, he said, would help overcome the problems encountered at landing during the harmattan period.
NAMA would deploy 10 Doppler Very High Frequency Omni-Directional Range (DVORs) and 10 Instrument Landing Systems with Distance Measuring Equipment to enhance safety, he said.
Iyayi said the equipment cost 18 million Euros, but the agency was opting for a lease option to reduce costs in the face of poor revenue base of NAMA.
He said there was need to introduce the terminal navigation charges to help sustain and maintain the systems and explained that the charges were not punitive.
Iyayi explained that the new charges were based on recommendations of International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and there was no going back.
Iyayi also listed other projects of NAMA as V-SAT deployment at all airports, web portal deployment and mapping/charting project of the nation’s airspace.
But Joji rejected the idea and explained that the charges have not been discussed with airline operators.
He explained that the navigation charges were the same as the domestic overflight charges, which the court had outlawed.
Oct82006