Stakeholders in the aviation industry have implored the federal government to restructure the huge debts owed by the airlines operating in the country.
According to the stakeholders, this restructuring will help save the businesses of the operators while both parties agree on payment modalities.
It was gathered that the airlines owe aviation agencies and the federal government several billion of naira, from the money given to them as intervention fund to the debts incurred in their operation from five per cent service charge, landing and parking to enroute navigational charges.
Massive debts were also incurred in the aborted remodelling programme aimed at rehabilitating airport facilities and modernising them in tune with modern world trends. The debts were put at over N148 billion as some contractors are still owed huge debts.
The Deputy Managing Director of Arik Air, Ado Sanusi, who spoke on the debts owed by the airlines, said the debts should be rescheduled and the interest rates should be reviewed downwards, adding that the agencies should also reschedule the debts owed them by the airlines.
He said: “The aviation parastatals should do a re-set button for the airlines. They can look at the whole debts and negotiate with the airlines. They can reconcile the debts and tell the airlines to pay a percentage of the total debts and agree on payment modalities.