Nigerian Airspace management Agency (NAMA) has restored air traffic services to Osubi airstrip after the operator of the airstrip paid, Shoreline Oil Services Ltd, made a part payment of N31 million of its debt to the airspace agency.
This was made known today in a statement signed by the General Manager, Public Affairs at NAMA, Mr. Khalid Emele; a copy of which was made available to African Business Travel News (ABTN).
NAMA which claimed that the decision to restore air traffic service to the airstrip came following the interventions from well meaning stakeholders and consideration of overall interest of air travel public in the area, added that it was consequent upon the payment of N31M by the operator of the airstrip, Shoreline Oil Services Ltd; being part payment of accumulated charges for the provision of air traffic services at the airstrip by NAMA.
It however stated that Shoreline Oil Services has a debt balance of N566, 422, 000.50 as of today, the October 28, 2018 to settle.
“Following appeals from well-meaning stakeholders and in consideration of the overall interest of the air travel public, we are pleased to announce the resumption of air traffic services at Osubi airstrip.
“This decision is consequent upon the payment of N31million 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, October 28, 2018,” the statement said.
Despite the huge balance the airstrip operator has to pay, NAMA said it decided to restore service to the airstrip with the understanding that because it expected that Shoreline Oil Services Ltd would take full advantage of this window of opportunity to make additional payment that will defray the outstanding balance.
“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,” NAMA said.
NAMA which however denied the claim that it shutdown the Warri airport, insisted that it only withdrew its service – air traffic services to the airstrip and not shut it down; because such statutory power to shut down any airport in the country is not within its purview.
It said, “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”.
