Indications has emerged that the House of Representatives may be compelled to probe the collection, remittance and utilisation of Nigeria’s five per cent Ticket Sales Charge (TSC), following the recent disruption of flight operations by aviation unions.

The National Aviation Stakeholders Forum (NASF), comprising aviation experts and consultants dropped the hint following call on the House Committee on Aviation to expand its ongoing hearing on the TSC sharing formula into a comprehensive investigation of the statutory charge.

The forum said the focus should go beyond determining how the five per cent charge is shared among aviation agencies to establishing how much has been collected from passengers, how much airlines have remitted and what has happened to the funds.

In a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Engr. Yahaya Yusuf, NASF urged the committee to obtain records of TSC collections and remittances from airlines, identify outstanding liabilities and establish enforcement measures taken against defaulting operators.

“The issue should not be limited to who gets what percentage of the five per cent TSC. Nigerians deserve to know how much has been collected, how much has been remitted and what has happened to the funds,” the forum said.

NASF also asked the lawmakers to scrutinise how TSC funds received by aviation agencies had been utilised, insisting that greater transparency and accountability were needed to prevent disputes over the charge from disrupting flight operations.

The call followed last week’s industrial action by aviation unions, which led to flight cancellations and rescheduling, leaving passengers stranded and disrupting air travel across the country.

The forum said the crisis underscored the need for the National Assembly to address unresolved issues surrounding the TSC and establish a system that guarantees timely collection, remittance and accountability.

It proposed a technology-driven platform capable of tracking ticket sales, TSC collections and remittances in real time, saying this would help close loopholes, detect discrepancies and improve revenue accountability.

NASF also criticised the handling of the dispute by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), calling for the resignation of its Director-General, Capt. Chris Najomo.

Yusuf said the NCAA should have intervened before the disagreement escalated into industrial action, stressing that passengers should not suffer the consequences of disputes among regulators, airlines and unions.

The forum, however, commended the National Assembly and Federal Government for their interventions, which helped restore normal flight operations.

It urged the House of Representatives to use the ongoing TSC review to establish a transparent framework for the management of the five per cent ticket charge and prevent future disagreements from paralysing the aviation sector.