Yemisi Izuora
The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), has announced resumption of air traffic services at Osubi airstrip.
This decision is consequent upon the payment of N31M by Shoreline Oil Services Ltd, operators of the airstrip, being part payment of accumulated charges for the provision of air traffic services at the airstrip by NAMA. The payment leaves Shoreline Oil Services with a debt balance of N566, 422, 000.50 as of today, the 28th October, 2018.
The agency in a statement said, “We recall that we took the difficult decision to withdraw air traffic services to Osubi airstrip after Shoreline Oil Services persistently refused to honour financial obligation to us despite several entreaties.
As a responsible corporate citizen and provider of critical services to the nation’s civil aviation sector, we felt obliged to restore our services to the airstrip with the understanding that Shoreline Oil Services will take full advantage of this window of opportunity to make additional payment that will substantially defray the above N566, 422, 000.50 debt as well as agree on a concrete and workable payment plan that will clear the outstanding balance.
It is our hope that going forward, and in the spirit of the renewed understanding between both organizations, Shoreline will reciprocate this gesture by paying for our services as and when due.
We would also like to clear the misconception being bandied about that the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) was responsible for “shutting down” Osubi airstrip. Nothing could be further from the truth as we do not have such statutory or physical powers. We merely withdrew air traffic services to the airstrip but we did not shut it down”.
NAMA further reassures all its service users, stakeholders and the general public that the agency remains committed to its goal of providing seamless air traffic services in a safe, economic and efficient manner.