SAHCOL seeks duty waivers for ground handlers

Aviation Nigeria

The Managing Director of the Skyway Aviation Handling Company of Nigeria Limited (SAHCOL), Mr. Oluropo Owolabi has appealed to the Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah to consider Customs duties waivers to ground handling companies in the aviation industry.

Owolabi decried that the amount of money paid by ground handling companies as Customs duties at the ports on imported equipment was too high, stressing that this would go a long way in reducing costs for the companies in the sector. He made these statements last week at the commissioning of new ground handling equipment for SAHCOL.

He, however, commended Oduah for ensuring duty free regime for airline operators in the country on acquisition of aircraft and imported equipment for their operations, maintaining that this would further boost safety in the sector, but enjoined her to look in the direction of ground handlers for the same purpose.

He said, “One of the things that I think the Federal Government in conjunction with the minister has been able to do is the granting of Customs duty waivers to the airlines. I want to seize this opportunity to appeal to the minister to assist us to be able to have this sort of relieve at the borders.

This will go a long way in helping the companies in the sector to grow. “You are asking me how much we spent in acquiring these equipment, but the truth is that I can not quantify it until after everything is out. We paid through our nose from the port and these equipment can not be moved around, they are meant for stations.

“Once they enter the tarmac, that is the end. That is the reason the government needs to assist us because of safety. Most of the handling companies in this industry can not afford this because they are very expensive, but a duty free regime from the seaport would enable us meet some of the challenges at the airports.”

Also, he declared that the ongoing construction of its warehouse at Lagos Airport has reached 80 per cent completion stage, adding that it would be commissioned for use before the end of the year.

Some of the newly acquired equipment are Commanders 15i JBT Loader, 40i JBT Loader and 30i JBT Loader, which performed different ground handling functions on aircraft ranging from narrow to wide body aircraft.

Owolabi insisted that the equipment are the latest of such in the sub-region, stressing that the company would not rest on its oars until ground handling sub-sector in the country is at par with other developed aviation countries in the world.

Source: Fly Naija

Arik Air lauds Federal Goverment over aircraft/spare parts import duty waiver.

By Lateef Lawal

Arik Air, has lauded President Goodluck Jonathan over the waiver of import duty on commercial aircraft and spare parts as announced in the 2013 budget presentation to the National Assembly on Wednesday. Mr. Chris Ndulue, the Executive Vice President/Managing Director of Arik Air described the concession as heart-warming and one that will not only enhance safety but also assuage the high operating cost incurred by Nigerian airlines. 

He praised the President for mustering the political will to incorporate the tariff waiver in the 2013 budget presentation thereby giving vent to the long sought relief for domestic airlines that have been reeling under the cumbersome Custom procedures for imported aircraft and spare parts.

“There can be no better time than now for this tariff waiver announced by the President as Nigerian airlines are bleeding from excessive taxes. We have been clamouring for this kind of succour over time and are happy that it has finally come”.

“The waiver of import duties on aircraft and spare parts will undoubtedly reduce the financial burden on airlines and encourage good maintenance practices since spare parts will now be available at lower costs,” Ndulue stressed.

President Goodluck Jonathan had during the 2013 budget presentation to the National Assembly on Wednesday observed that airline operators in the country maintain their aircraft overseas at heavy cost and that the relief would go a long way in assisting the airlines to re-new their fleet of aircraft.

Courtesy: Nigerian Aviation News.