NIGERIA MASTERWEB DAILY NEWS

*Nigeria: Arik Air, Largest Operator, Biggest Debtor

[ Owes Govt., Agencies & Fuel Marketers N10b ]

By Lateef Lawal

Arik Air, the airline that prides itself as the largest operator in the country, has now been discovered to be the biggest detor airline in Nigeria. Arik is indebted to various agencies in the industry to the tune of about 10 billion naira. The regulatory agency, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority(NCAA) confirmed yesterday that Arik is indebted to it in the tune of N1.1b.

This was disclosed by the Director General of NCAA, Dr Harold Demuren while fielding questions from journalists at the opening of a three-day workshop on the new Nigerian civil aviation regulations organized for airline operators and other stakeholders at Tamarin Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos.

According to Demuren, series of meetings were held with Arik management with the aim of persuading them to pay, but would raise issues of errors in billing which the authority is looking into. ( Continues below..... )

Photo Above: A landing Arik Plane

Further checks in the industry indicated that Arik is also owing the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency(NAMA) N1.66b in unpaid navigational charges for over two years.

Meeting had been called twice last month by NAMA aimed at reaching an agreement on how Arik would start installmental payment on the debt. Arik management both times turned down the invitation.

Arik is also discovered to owe various oil Marketers over N3b for the fuelling of its aircraft over the past 12 months. Lately, some of the marketers now operate on cash-and-carry basis with the airline, while waiting for their past bills to be settled. ( Continues below..... )

Photo Above: Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, Nigeria.

In the same vein, the airline is said to be owing both the newly privatized ground handling company - Skyway Aviation Handling Company(SAHCOL) and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria(FAAN) N1.3b and about N1b respectively.

Almost all the officials of the creditor government agencies refused to be quoted on the debt situation with Arik. They claim that the owner of Arik is so powerful that he could get the Presidency to deal with them, if they dare talk to the press.

Lateef Lawal (NigerianAviationNews)

View @ http://www.nigeriamasterweb.com/Disclaimer.html

*Tags: Nigerians, Arik, Abuja, Lagos, Yar’Adua, Jos, Africa, Masterweb