NAMA Flays Air Traffic Controllers on State of Nigerian Airspace

The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has faulted claims by the Air Traffic Controllers on the seemingly gloomy picture of communication status of the agency saying that there was nothing to worry about.

According to NAMA’s management the group’s claims are unfounded as the daily statistics show more traffic across the nation 's airports, averaging 500, apart from over 150 daily flights around the Port Harcourt Airport axis  operated  by  the oil companies .

 In a statement made available to Nigeria CommunicationsWeek, Supo Atobatele, general manager, Corporate Communications of the Agency said the management finds it difficult to understand the motive behind the combative posture of the air traffic controllers over their position on the communication status of the agency.

“Apart from this, daily foreign flights into country have been on the increase, just as the nation is being inundated with more requests by the foreign airlines aspiring to explore Nigerian market. What else do you need to measure a safer sky?

“If there are no communication as being touted by the controllers, one may then ask of their magic wand in handling these flights in question over decades as suggested in their statement,” he said.

Atobatele added that latest affront on the management by the controllers is another attempt to distract its attention from pursuing the set goals of transforming the agency to a world class air navigation service provider.

“Though ,we would not like to join issues with them, it however behoves on us to state that the  total VHF radio coverage of the country has been completed and like any new project, it is being fine tuned by the engineers to allow it operate as specified.

“We confirm again the on going effort to the Lagos Area Control Centre  by deploying 120.9MGH and what we demand from the controllers is co operation to achieve this drive as a recent test run of the frequency by both controllers and engineers proved successful.

“Over 300 controllers had  so far been trained this year alone to enhance productivity and is on record that this group enjoys upmost priority in the scheme of things, particularly training in the agency.

“It is therefore, absurd for this group to use NATCA platform to challenge the integrity of the management, particularly the managing director Engr. Nnamdi Udoh whose 32 years of service has been on  the provision  of quality air traffic  management  not only in Nigeria ,but also in the sub- region.” The GM maintained.