The Federal Government has said that some private jets are used for money laundering and other illegal activities.
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, levelled the accusation on Thursday in Abuja.
Keyamo spoke at the inauguration of a Ministerial Taskforce Committee dedicated to curbing illicit charter operations within the nation’s aviation industry.
He said: “It has come to my attention, through a series of disturbing reports, that practice of illegal charter operations is thriving within the aviation industry, thereby undermining the efforts of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority and other regulatory bodies.
“These illicit activities have not only resulted in significant financial losses to the Federal Government, but have also raised security and safety concerns as the operations of private aircraft owners have remained largely unchecked and unregulated.
“This has also resulted in using these private aircrafts for other illegal activities. Last week, the National Security Adviser wrote to us, alerting us of the spike in money laundering, drug-trafficking and other illegal activities through the use of private aircrafts in the country.
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“It appears that Private Non-Commercial Flight operators have become increasingly emboldened, continuing their illegal operations with the assistance of Air Operator Certificate holders who collect tolls and list these illegal charters under their AOCs.”
On the revenue lost to the illegal operations, Keyamo said: “We cannot sit down here and put a liquidated sum but I can assure you that it runs into billions of dollars over time.
“The difference between AOC holders and what they pay to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority and the PNCF holders is like night and day.
“The PNCF holders are those who come for license and say they don’t want to carry passengers but for their personal use.
“Just like the power holding company, if you are running commercial premises, the tariff is much higher while non-commercial tariff is low.
“So, when you say it is non-commercial, they are billed very small amount and when you want to run commercial operations, they bill you more which goes into the federation account and we generate yearly billions of naira from such licenses as federal government.
“What happens is that someone who has paid very small amount for private use of his aircraft now begins to compete with the person who has paid so much for the commercial use of his aircraft.
“The action is killing the business of private charter in this country.
“The illegal action is a cankerworm. So, we are not just protecting our revenue as federal government, we are also protecting genuine businesses of Nigerians who applied for licenses to do charter.
“The losses are unquantifiable and that is why there is dare need for this Task Force.”
Speaking on fraudulent renewal of licenses, Keyamo said: “We have received alarming reports that some crew members have not attended mandatory simulator trainings for nearly three years and are flying with fraudulently-obtained renewed licenses.
“Many of these individuals are operating planes registered under PNCF but are conducting illegal charter operations with impunity.
“In light of these grave concerns and in alignment with two key objectives of our five-point agenda, I am compelled to take this decisive action.
“I consulted far and wide and we agreed that something needs to be done.
“Today, I am pleased to announce the establishment of the Ministerial Task Force on Illegal Private Charter Operations and Related Matters.”
On the mandate of the panel, which has three months to turn in its report, Keyamo said: “You are to take inventory of all PNCF holders and AOC holders across the country, determine why the practice of illegal charters by PNCF holders persists in the country despite regulatory controls, call in all professional licences of pilots and crew members in the country and determine their authenticity and validity.
“Recommend to the minister any additional measures to be taken by regulatory agencies to stem this ugly tide, recommend appropriate sanctions to be imposed by the regulatory agencies on defaulters, recommend additional measures to further monitor the operations and activities of private aircraft in Nigeria and any other terms of reference that may be determined by the minister as the Task Force continues its work.”
Members of the Task Force are: Captain Ado Sanusi, Chairman; Captain Roland lyayi, Vice Chairman; Director of Air Transport, Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Secretary; Theresa A. Babaoye, Director Air Transport Regulation, NCAA; a nominee from the Office of the National Security Adviser; Captain Daniel Quansah; Captain Patrick Ogunlowo; and Obafemi Bajomo, an Aide to the Minister.
Responding on behalf of the committee, Sanusi said: “We thank you for the leadership to ensure that we bring sanity to the aviation sector.
“We promise that we will leave no stone unturned to get to the root of the problem.
“We are committed and we will do everything within our power to ensure that all sharp practices and the things in our mandate are brought before you for necessary action.
“We believe that this committee is a stepping stone to bringing all the challenges in the aviation sector to an end.”
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