The relationship between Tropical Arctic Logistics Limited TAL and the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA has hit the rocks over the renewal of an Air Operators Certificate, AOC.
Since the sour relationship between the operator and regulator came to the public domain, there has been accusations and counter accusations over the alleged reluctance of the NCAA to renew TAL’s AOC.
At a news conference Wednesday in Lagos by the TAL, the Chief Operating Officer, COO, Engr. Olufemi Adeniji says, TAL has fulfilled the requirements of the AOC renewal but the regulatory agency was bent on frustrating their efforts with baseless allegations by its foreign partner NHV who no longer has a relationship with TAL.
According to him, the Directorate of Airworthiness of NCAA needed to be purged as he alleged corruptive tendencies in the directorate pointing accusing fingers at the General Manager, AOC and Surveillance Mr. Godwin Balang.
Engr. Adeniji emphasized that, this issue was not peculiar to TAL, adding that, “during a previous DG’s era, there was an issue of an NCAA official who request to be a shareholder in an operator’s board in order to pass their AOC”.
“AMO approval by the same Airworthiness Department is done on the basis of who you know with or without tools provided by the applicant. Conflict of interest foes apply when some of the Airworthiness personnel are discharging their duties”.
According to him, there is a limit to every patience especially when it pertains to corruption which becomes a threat to one’s investment.
“TAL has reached its limit and it has decided to suspend its actions in the following through with AOC renewal despite concluding on the phase 3 of the so called renewal process”.
Explaining further, he said, TAL applied for the renewal of its AOC on 7th September 2020, 47 days before its expiration when 30 days is required to do so in accordance with NCAA regulations.
Engr. Adeniji said, the drama that later played out was shocking as some of the manuals submitted was reported to have been lost after seven (7) months of submission.
” New manuals were however reprinted and resubmitted. Surprisingly, the lost manuals were later found”.
Adding that, “even with this having been compiled with, the AOC renewal was still delayed by the Airworthiness Department of NCAA”.
The TAL COO emphasized that, from last year till date when it applied for AOC renewal, their operations have been grounded due to unusual delay in the AOC process and to avoid total grounding of its operations, it decided to apply for an extension of its AOC in a letter dated December, 2020 but this was rebuffed for reasons best known to the regulator.
“Up to date, TAL has the MCM (printed twice) and the AMP (printed 3 times) in the Airworthiness Department which claimed that its refusal to approve the manuals was based on the post holders in the manual submitted in September, 2020. The issues of the manual going back and forth with NCAA is not unusual but it is unusual to come back claiming manuals are missing and later found after the new ones have been approved”.
Engr. Adeniji also alleged that, the Airworthiness Department of the NCAA replicates manuals for the use of another operator.
“This is the trade secret of the operator being shared, copied by a supposed confidant of the Operator’s Regulatory Authority. NCAA Airworthiness Department now requests for a USB with unprotected Microsoft word copy of the manuals. The common threat to operators in aviation business is NCAA certification process”.
On the alleged falsification of documents levelled against them by its former partner NHV, Adeniji challenged them to produce any evidence to the claims.
He therefore advised the NCAA’s DG to conduct an investigation to clarify the following:1. What is the relationship between Godwin Balang and our former Maintenance Manager Eduardo Ramos, who is now with another operator(NHV) to stain TAL?
2. What is the relationship between Godwin Balang and TAL chairman?3. Why did Godwin Balang transfer the following aircraft 5N-BOI, 5N-BOJ and 5N-BOX to another operator without honouring the letter from TAL?
4. What is the relationship between Godwin Balang and a CAM (feemsmac) in Europe that was introduced to TAL’s chairman Emperor Chris Baywood Ibe?5. Why did TAL COO decide to record his meeting with Godwin Balang?
6. Why did Godwin Balang introduce a man to TAL to engage as its Quality/Safety Manager?7. What was the position of TAL’s post holders then?
8. What business does Godwin Balang have with procurement of ATL certificate application to TAL Chairman?9. Why is the regulator supporting a foreign company to bring a Nigerian Company down?
10. What is the familiarity that existed between Godwin Balang and TAL’s Chairman that led to the sharing of TAL’s fixed wings businessman with him?11. Why does the military experience of Engr. Udofia veteran not count now with the Airworthiness department?
12. NHV press release yesterday confirms NCAA support of foreign Company to kill a Nigeria Company?13. On who’s STR is NHV still operating in Nigeria? They came into Nigeria with TAL immigration STR. Still operating in Nigeria illegally. Who is responsible for their engineers’ license?
