All agencies under the Federal Ministry of Aviation are to adopt the automation process in all revenue collection. The Agencies mostly affected in the exercise are the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).
Before now, all revenues were collected manually, leading to huge loses as a result of the leakages inherent in the manual procedure. First Bank of Nigeria Plc, working with Experts and professional bodies like IATA, SITA, and Avitech; a Software Provider, amongst others is to lead the collection process. Avitech is to provide the automation platform and has a tripartite agreement with the NCAA, the airline operators and their individual banks. The Software Provider has been working with the NCAA since December, 2010.
Meanwhile, Heads of the agencies have expressed satisfaction with the automation of the revenue collection process, saying it would greatly enhance their revenue profile. Director General of the NCAA, Dr. Harold Demuren is particularly ecstatic about the potential which the automation process holds for the revenue profile of the agencies. He said:
''The former manual process of revenue collection was fraught with a lot of challenges. Apart from the leakages, the agencies were being owed heavily by the airlines and other bodies we were providing service so we are very pleased with the new development now because every agency will now have its share of revenue deducted and remitted to it at source and automatically. Moreover, they is an automated window where every agency can view every transaction, the system is very transparent and efficient.
''Aviation agencies had literally been using baskets to fetch water and you know what you get when you use baskets to fetch water, the system was fraught with too much leakages! Fortunately, that era is behind us now'', Demuren declared. Other Agency Heads expressed similar sentiments.
The proposal to automate all revenue collection centres for the agencies was received with mixed feelings, but the Minister insists it is only those who have been benefiting from the porous system that can oppose a process that not only ensures transparency, but also puts more money in the coffers of government. ''But we have closed this factory for good'', she maintained.
Joe Obi, SA (Media) to the Hon. Minister of Aviation.
Handheld Device.
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