on Aviation on Wednesday exposed sharp practices by foreign airlines operating
in the country, revealing that while they generated $5.4bn in ticket sales
between 2006 and 2011, only $4.3bn was remitted to the Central Bank of Nigeria
(CBN), between 1999 and 2011 — a situation that has resulted in sharp practices
and pressure on the Naira.
This was the
highpoint of the report on the violation of aviation laws and practice by
foreign airlines in Nigeria, read during plenary by chairman of the committee,
Sen Hope Uzodinma.
“The CBN submission
showed that a total outward remittance by foreign airlines through the banks of
$4.3bn between 1999 and 2011,” a part of the report read. “The committee also
demanded information on ticket sales by foreign airlines from NCAA. The record
shows that ticket sales between 2006 and 2011 alone amounts to $5.4bn. It is
noteworthy that the period reported by NCAA is less than half the period
reported by CBN.
“This discovery
underscores two things: the volume of business of foreign airlines and [its]
implications for the economy and foreign exchange fluctuations, causing
pressure on the Naira and also underscoring the sharp practices involved in how
airlines transmit the bulk or rest of the money they make in Nigeria out of
Nigeria. These are serious national economic and intelligence issues.”
The report
recommended the ban of the Ministry of Aviation from entering into Bilateral
Air Service Agreements (BASA), adjudging it to be ill-equipped to carry out such
negotiations.
“That the Ministry
of Aviation or any public officer whatsoever should desist from negotiating
commercial agreements with foreign airlines as they have no iota of competence
on such issues,” it stated.
