The debts owed by airlines in the country to federal agencies have risen to about N37 billion, Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, has revealed.
Featuring in the ministerial press briefing organized by the Presidential Communication Team at the presidential villa, Abuja Thursday, he said the debt was owed to agencies including the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) among others.
According to him, the government had been circumspect in demanding the payment mindful of how they might react.
However, he vowed that the government would go after the airlines to make sure that they pay what they owe.
Sirika, who addressed the controversy over the disbursement of the N5 billion COVID-19 palliative to aviation stakeholders, said the point was made that airlines owing aviation parastatals should not benefit.
He explained: “In fact, the service providers in our system, FAAN, NAMA, said oh these guys are owing us, we should take the money from the money being given as palliatives. We said no but the intent of President Buhari is to ensure that he cushion the effect on businesses. Let us find a way of surviving, and let them take the money. So we would have taken the money and left them with nothing and we stay with nothing.
“So, this brings to the question on the money owed the parastatals. It is about N37 billion that they are owing, especially, Arik, the culprit. I know they’re owing us about, N13, N14 billion.
“If you’re owing government, you are owing FAAN, the Bi-Courtney is owing about N14 billion as at the last count. It has not paid a single dime since the time he started to run the terminal building. And we have not ceased giving him, electricity, water, fire cover, and so on and so forth. He hasn’t paid a dime for 13 years.
“And if we go to shut his doors, media, of course, and Nigerian people will say we’re killing businesses but he is killing our services too because we have to have that money to provide for that toilet that you’re looking in Lagos airport. Most of these are living by their IGRs and so, we need the money but we will go after the money.”
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