The Nigerian Airspace are Management, NAMA has converted Non-technical staff in the system to technical staff to address the shortage of air traffic controller, ATCs.
This is just as the Management took a step further to engage retired ATCs to complement those converted and also promised to enhance the allowances of aeronautical workers to reflect the economic situation in the country.
NAMA Managing Director, Capt. Fola Akinkuotu who disclosed this at the 50th Annual General Meeting of the Nigerian Air Traffic Controllers Association NATCA in Abuja said, said NAMA was was worried over the death rate recorded among Air Traffic Controllerd in the last few years, saying that the Management was alive to its responsibility in areas of workers welfare.
The theme of the 50th AGM is ‘Air Traffic Management, Safety and Emerging National Security Challenges’.
Capt. Akinkuotu stated that, government had provided funds for the upgrade of safe towers in the country and commended members of NATCA for their selfless service and sued for dialogue always to address all pending NATCA issues amicably.
In his goodwill message, the Managing Director, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) Captain Rabiu Yadudu, applauded the contributions and the role of ATCs and urged stakeholders to celebrate them.
The FAAN boss stressed the need for effective communication between the cockpit and the ATCs.
The NATCA president, Abayomi Agoro, while welcoming the guests said, they were happy seeing that the0 industry was gradually coming back on track from the scare of the Covid pandemic.
He reiterated their MAYDAY call for the review of the ATC scheme of service as the ATC Scheme of Service was an issue that had lingered for too long, adding that it would not be a bad idea if the issue was revisited with a view to drawing the attention of the relevant authorities to have it resolved once and for all.
Agoro stressed the need for the improvements on the state of CNS facilities in NAMA and the need to review ATCOs retirement age and length of service and to match the length of service with age to mitigate the acute shortage of Air Traffic Controllers, especially with the emerging airports and airlines.
“Going by the recommendation of a committee set up by NCAA as captured in the communiqué released at the last AGM, NATCA in conjunction with the Directorate has formally requested an upward review of the age validity for ATC license holder from sixty (60) to sixty-five (65) years. This has been granted by the DG and we sincerely thank the Authority for it”.
Agoro, however expressed concern over the seemingly stalled NAMA Condition of Service (CoS) stressing that, a major stakeholder in NAMA, NATCA drew the attention of the appropriate authorities to vital issues that challenges professionalism and threatens industrial harmony within the Agency in the negotiated draft of the staff Condition of Service (CoS).
“We raised these concerns purely in the interest of justice, equity and fairness. The roles of every professional in NAMA and the nature of licenses held by them are clearly stated in the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulation (NCAR) Part 11. We therefore urge NAMA management and all the relevant unions to urgently address this issue”.
He urged the Management of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT) Zaria to create the enabling environment to iron out the welfare issues raised by NATCA raised with the former rector.
