Offset your outstanding payments, NCAA urges GSM operators

Chukwuemeke Iwelunmo

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has advised all telecom operators who are yet to remit their outstanding payments to do so without further delay. This advice was given by the Director General, Capt. Muhtar Usman during a meeting with the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON). In an official statement issued yesterday and signed by the agency’s General Manager, Public Affairs, Sam Adurogboye, NCAA stated that under the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (Establishment) Act, Section 7(1) (n), the NCAA is empowered to prohibit and regulate the installation of any structure which by virtue of its height or position is considered to endanger the safety of air navigation. It stated, “Therefore, pursuant to the above provision, the Regulatory Authority requires an Aviation Height Clearance (AHC) approval for every highrise structure, mast, tower installation, irrespective of the height and location”. According to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig.CARs) Part 12.1.7.1.11. the AHC shall remain in force for a period of one (1) year when it shall be due for renewal unless suspended or cancelled by the Authority. Similarly, the agency pointed out that the holder of an AHC certificate shall ensure proper records of AHC granted to it and the renewal of the AHC at least 30 days to the expiry date. However, the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) requested a meeting with the Director-General to resolve certain perceived grey areas. Inclusive in these grey areas are that AHC should be a one-off exercise, no renewals and structures for AHC should be selective not all, particularly if it is not deemed to endanger air navigation. In his response, Capt. Muhtar Usman frowned at the obvious illegality of the directive by the association to its members to cease payments until when all matters related have been resolved. The DG, therefore, espoused all relevant statutes that bequeathed NCAA the authority to render such services and recover costs associated. He said NCAA is a law-abiding organisation has been reluctant to review the fees for so many years even when the reality at the inception of the charges has considerably changed. According to Capt. Usman, Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig.CARs) Part 12.1.7.1.12. the Authority shall carry out surveillance inspection of an existing structure within the Nigerian Airspace on Aerodrome or off aerodrome to ascertain the compliance level of the structures with safety measures in terms of painting, markers, lightings and approved heights for the structures. With this, there is a compulsory continuity in surveillance inspection of existing structures within the Nigerian airspace to ensure sustenance of safety of air navigation.