Ground handling companies operating in the aviation sector under the aegis of the Aviation Ground Handling Association of Nigeria (AGHAN) yesterday disclosed that it has achieved over 60 per cent success in the implementation of the new safety threshold handling rate approved by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) in the last quarter of 2021.
Chairman of AGHAN, Mr. Olaniyi Adigun disclosed this during courtesy visits to the Director-General, NCAA, Capt. Musa Nuhu and the Commissioner of Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB), Engr. Akin Olateru.
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The new charges recently took effect with the international carriers and the domestic operators after 35 years of the old rates.
On the remaining 40 per cent in implementation, Adigun explained that negotiations continue to ensure that other operators were ongoing with them to comply with the directive and expressed hope that they would comply very soon.
He said: “This is the first time in my years in the aviation industry that I will see a true change in the handling sub-sector in Nigeria. In the past, we engaged in unhealthy competition, which unfortunately worked against us, but today, we are seeing some changes.”
Adigun specifically called for customs duty waivers, easy access to forex and other incentives for the handling sub-sector of the economy.
In his response, Nuhu, said that the handling companies were part of the aviation safety chain, even though their critical activities were not known to air travelers and they could not be isolated from the challenges in the industry.
