The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority has shut down the main switch center of Globacom Limited at Wuse 2, Abuja over non-payment of outstanding debt of N4.7 billion.
The NCAA Director-General, Capt. Musa Nuhu, carried out the exercise on Wednesday, under the supervision of the Minister of Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika.
Nuhu told the newsmen after locking up the tower that the facility would be switched off until outstanding debt was paid.
He said the company had paid only N500 million out of the N5.2 billion it was owing, pointing out that the outstanding debt was N4.7 billion.
According to him, all the other telecommunications service providers are paying except Globacom, which has failed to meet up since 2007.
.” My Agency is under tremendous pressure from the Federal Government of Nigeria and we will do our best within the power vested on us to make sure the debt is settled.
“The action we took is for the safety of aviation in Nigeria. As a matter of fact, for any masts after a certain height, we are supposed to regulate them to ensure that it is properly covered.
“We do fly aircraft, we do flight helicopters, and it could be drone among others things we fly. Not necessarily regular passenger flight. Police, PHCN, and all those people; do patrol all over the country.
“I am sure, you have seen their helicopters, that is why it is important for us to ensure we have all these on the road map and put them in action,” he said.
Nuhu said it was the regulation of the NCAA that whoever erected the masts would pay for the process that would be carried out by the NCAA.
According to the director-general, 15 letters have been sent to go in the past without any tangible reply since his assumed office.
He said that generally in the past, they only paid some amount and walked away.
”Of recent, when I came, then we sat down we have been speaking silently.
“They have paid some money but they still have almost N4.7 billion debt remaining. None of the communication services providers has that amount due for payment.
“That started in 2007. We don’t like shutting down things but we have to take this drastic action because we are having financial issues and we pressure from different sectors of government, “ he said.
Nuhu listed sectors of government pressuring NCAA to include; Committees from the National Assembly, the Federal Ministry of Aviation as the supervising ministry, Agencies such as the Fiscal Revenue Commission, and Auditor General Office of the Federation and Accountant General Office of the Federation.
