The Association of Licenced Telecom Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) has clarified the purported report that it had a face-off with the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), with regards to taxes charged on telecom masts in the country.
ALTON said the report in the media is misleading as it did not reflect the true position of the meeting it had with the management of NCAA on Tuesday, 12th February 2019 at the Aviation House, Ikeja, Lagos.
“There was no face-off between NCAA and ALTON and its members, though we need clarification on the charges and this led to the agreement at the meeting to form an Advisory Committee which comprises of NCAA and ALTON representatives. Our members are responsible corporate citizens of the country and natural partners in progress that follows due processes,” it said in an email message.
ALTON explained that at the meeting it was clear that all taxes charged by the NCAA are statutory as it was in the NCAA Act, revealing that the issues of Aviation mast height clearance was discussed at the meeting because its members are being charged across the nation.
The umbrella body of all licensed telecom operators in Nigeria, added that its members were informed that the essence of the Aviation Height clearance is purely for safety, because they have to identify the routes to guide the Pilots in navigation.
“We were informed that there are categories of aircraft, big, medium and small, also the choppers and the drones are part of their responsibilities and these are not limited to telecoms infrastructure but to banks, radio stations and high rise building. The Director General said there are lots of Airstrips and helipads the reason for charging across board,” it said.
ALTON also emphasized that the Director General of NCAA informed ALTON that the reason for the annual renewal is because the earth shift base occasionally and the co-ordinates also changes, as the one taken a year ago may be different from the one taking this year.