Indigenous airlines may be compelled to shut down operations if the Nigerian Customs Service fails to promote ease of doing business for them in the country.
The operators raised lamented that almost five years after the Federal Government approved zero duty waivers for airlines on aircraft acquisition and spare parts purchase, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) is yet to fully commence the implementation of the policy
Barrister Allen Onyema, Chairman, Air Peace,who disclosed these in Abuja, during the grand reception of the second Air Peace E195-E2 aircraft, Onyema wondered why officials of Customs are frustrating efforts being made by the Federal Government to ease challenges for the operating airlines in Nigeria
He claimed that one of the airline’s aircraft had been grounded for over a month at the Lagos sea port because of the insistence of Customs in collecting duties on the aircraft engine.
He said: “The Customs know very well that waivers have been signed into law, yet I have an aircraft on ground for over one month. An aircraft I pay over $1 million on insurance whether it flies or not, which is over N490 million with a staff strength of over 3,000 people. Our spare parts and engines will come into this country and customs will keep on keeping them on ground and giving us all manner of reasons and bills to pay.
“Even though, the President of the country in his wisdom has signed into law these waivers. It does not depend on the whims and caprices of anyone anymore. This is the law of the country and the customs should be made to obey the laws of this country or in the next coming week airlines may shut down.
“If not for the intervention of Sen. Hadi Sirika, the Minister of Aviation, last week all the airlines in the country would have shut down. Where does that leave this economy of this country? Air Peace in particular, an engine which should be cleared in one day has taken over one month to clear. The customs of Nigeria are not above the law. I must not be a prisoner of my own conscience.”
He spoke on the acquisition of E195-E2 aircraft, saying it was geared towards rebranding the airline,adding that it had already made orders for 30 of the aircraft, while 13 of them were firm orders.
The third of the aircraft brand would be delivered to the company in three weeks, adding that when the 13 of the E-195-E2 aircraft arrived the country, Air Peace would create an additional 8,000 jobs for Nigerians, stressing that it was high time the country got indigenous capacity right.
