The Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has assured airlines and stakeholders on the provision of seamless and uninterrupted air navigation services throughout the festive season as the nation gradually winds down to Christmas and New Year celebrations.
In a statement, Managing Director of NAMA, Captain Fola Akinkuotu said all the country’s navigational facilities were working at optimal levels, adding that precision approach landing aids at the five international airports where traffic was high were also in top form.
The NAMA boss noted that the agency recognized that apart from the adverse weather associated with this time of the year, there was also a huge demand for air traffic services and so had taken steps to strengthen its technical and operational capacity.
He said as part of these measures, new VHF communication radios have been installed across the country to reduce congestion while the installation of Instrument Landing System/Distance Measuring Equipment (ILS/DME) was ongoing in Lagos and Kano airports.
Captain Akinkuotu disclosed that air traffic controllers and other critical staff have been deployed to busy airports to ensure that there was no fatigue arising from pressure of work.
He emphasized that Airspace Managers in all Nigerian airports have consequently been directed to embark on measures to strengthen Air Traffic Management and surveillance systems in their respective domains to ensure maximum operational safety during the yuletide.
According to him, the need for extra vigilance at this time became inevitable because of the usual upsurge in traffic and the increased tempo of airport activities that come with the season.
According to Akinkuotu “if we must build upon our present gains in maintaining safety of air navigation in the country, it calls for synergy and collaboration among airspace managers as well as stakeholders in the industry.”
