The need for training and retraining of aviation professionals for optimal performance has again been stressed.
Presidents of the different professional bodies in the Nigeria Airspace Management Agency, NAMA, say, the industry needs the requisite and well trained manpower to sustain the country’s safety records.
President, National Association of Air traffic Engineers (NAAE) Engr. Selzing Miri, speaking on the work environment and welfare of members said, training and retraining should be prioritized in NAMA and other aviation agencies adding that, without this, workers cannot give their best.
He urged the government to provide and improve on the basic facilities required for workers that will enhance their performance, stressing that, “when people are well trained with the right tools, they will perform better”.
“For the engineering sector in particular, without the necessary tools, without the required trainings, there’s no magic the worker can perform other than to remain in the same position. This year,the government should focus more on training professionals, making them more professional in their fields of endeavours so that they can perform better”.
Engr. Miri also called for adequate renumeration as the present economic realities which has devalued salaries can no longer sustain the workers and therefore advocate a review of professional allowances to encourage them.
The President, National Air traffic Communicators’ Association of Nigeria (NACAN) with Rabiu Mohammed Sani stressed the need for the provision of modern communication equipment for communicators in NAMA to enhance their performance.
Sani urged the management of NAMA to as a matter of urgency implement the AHMS (ATS message Handling System) in all the airports across the country.
He noted that some countries were migrating from AMHS to System Wide Information Management (SWIM), a new modernized communication system while Nigeria has not yet implemented the AMHS.
He noted that, AMHS machines have been installed in Kano and Lagos, and configuration was on going but are yet to start functioning, calling for strong efforts to train more personnel this year to avoid the problem the unit passed through concerning trainings last year.
The NACAN Boss noted, that two sets of AMHS participants were still on ground awaiting training after getting their travel documents ready since April 2022 without approval from the ministry.
“AO 30, AO 31, AO 41, AMS 06 courses were supposed to commence in 2022 but were not, due to some issues raised by the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology Zaria”.
Sani remarked that if there are no adequate personnel to man the systems in the agency, the systems will be left redundant and under-utilized and will have negative effects on the staff, the department and the agency.
On the issue of national carrier, he said NACAN was in full support as it will go a long way in checkmating tickets prices, flight cancellation and even improving the economical operation of Air services.
Sani commended the Management of NAMA led by Mr Lawrence Pwajok for playing the fatherly role in the organization adding that he has changed the face of NAMA within the few months he is in charge of the agency
