NAAE NCAA Chapter Disagrees with National Leadership Over TSC Review

A recent statement made by the National Association of Air Traffic Engineers (NAAE) national leadership has sparked a disagreement with the NAAE chapter of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA). The NCAA chapter has distanced itself from the comments regarding the proposed review of the Ticket Sales Charge (TSC) sharing formula, saying that it was not consulted or represented in the position. In a statement signed by its Chairman, Agunloye Fredrick, the NCAA chapter emphasized that the views expressed by the national leadership do not reflect the opinions of its members. The chapter argued that a broad consultation should have been conducted before any public statement was made, considering the national importance of the matter. It noted that the TSC is a statutory levy collected from airline passengers and shared among aviation agencies to ensure aviation safety, security, and efficiency. The NCAA, as the industry's economic and safety regulator, relies heavily on its allocation from the TSC to support various regulatory activities, including certification and licensing of airlines, airports, and aviation training organizations. Reducing the NCAA's share of the TSC would undermine aviation safety oversight and regulatory effectiveness, potentially leading to reduced frequency of safety inspections, delays in certification and licensing, and weakened safety oversight. The chapter emphasized that a strong regulator is essential for a safe aviation system and that weakening the regulator through reduced funding would ultimately weaken the entire aviation industry.