Lawmakers push for direct airline remittance to NCAA

By Firdaus Jibril

The House Committee on Delegated Legislation of the National Assembly has called for amendments to the aviation law to allow immediate deduction and remittance of applicable statutory funds by airlines to the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).

The Chairman of the Committee, Rt. Hon. Olufemi Richard Bamishile, made the call on Wednesday during a familiarisation visit by the Committee to the NCAA Corporate Headquarters in Abuja.

The visit focused on aviation regulation, legislative oversight, the NCAA’s rule-making process and consumer protection.

Bamishile raised concerns over outstanding statutory remittances by airlines and called for amendments that would allow applicable funds to be deducted and remitted directly to the NCAA.

Welcoming the Committee, the Director General Civil Aviation (DGCA), Capt. Chris Najomo, stressed the need for continued engagement between the NCAA and the National Assembly to ensure that Nigeria’s aviation regulations remain responsive and consistent with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards.

Najomo said the Civil Aviation Act 2022, Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations 2023 and other regulatory instruments provide the framework for the NCAA’s functions in aviation safety, security, economic regulation and consumer protection.

A member of the Committee, Hon. Rufus Adeniyi Ojuawo, also sought clarification on recurring flight delays and cancellations and measures being taken to prevent their recurrence.

Responding, the Director, Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu, said inadequate aircraft capacity had previously worsened flight disruptions.

He explained that when one aircraft was serving several routes, the unavailability of the aircraft could leave passengers on those routes stranded.

Achimugu said more aircraft were being introduced through dry-lease arrangements, while a system was also being developed to allow affected passengers to be rebooked on other airlines.

On the proposed legislative amendments, the Director, Legal Services, Mrs. Mary Tufano-Eche, said the review of the Civil Aviation Act was at its final stages with the Ministry of Justice.

She said the Act would be further updated before being presented to the National Assembly.

The meeting ended with the NCAA and the House Committee agreeing to sustain engagement on delegated legislation and regulatory reforms.