Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has engaged the services of 40 Air Traffic Control Officers (ATCO) to boost shortage in manpower, especially caused by ageing workforce.
The new hands have been immediately deployed into various levels of training as recommended by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).
Managing Director of NAMA, Capt. Fola Akinkuotu, said this at the Annual General Meeting of the Nigerian Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) recently held in Uyo , Akwa Ibom State.
Akinkuotu said his administration placed premium on safety and efforts were being made to raise the number of air traffic controllers to a level that aligns with global best practices.
He noted that a total of 150 Air Traffic Controllers have in the last 10 months of his administration been trained in different cadres and specialisations of Air Traffic Control ( ATC )
These trainings include: Basic ATCO Course (Aerodrome and Approach), Area/Airways Non-Radar Control, Aeronautical Search and Rescue Mission Coordinators Course as well as other management skills development workshops and conferences.
The NAMA boss also noted that in order to achieve even distribution of ATC manpower among airports and stations, the agency has carried out a large number of operational postings as demanded by workload.
Akinkuotu said the above recruitments and training activities were targeted at not only enhancing ATC human capacities but also “providing a more efficient Air Traffic Management system, in line with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Global Air Navigation Plan.”
In order to demonstrate the agency’s commitment to ICAO’s modern safety management system for service providers, Akinkuotu added that the agency has internalised the “just culture” in handling Air Safety Reports even as he expressed satisfaction that the number of Air Safety Reports has relatively gone down.
In a related development, the Nigerian Airspace Management agency (NAMA) has engaged the services of the Centre for Management Development, for the training of middle level management personnel across the country in administrative and management principles and practices.
Titled: “In -plant workshop on administrative and management principles, practice and processes”, the one-week training to be taken in batches is designed to equip staff with necessary skills in areas such as office communication.
Speaking to Pilot Aviation, the Airspace Manager of Ilorin International Airport, Engr. Rotimi Ayeni said that the airport has competent hands manning the air traffic control tower.
He, however, said there was no deployment to the airport, adding that the number of staff on ground at the control tower is adequate.
“Our staff on ground are very competent so, there has not been any deployment of staff because there is no vacancy here. We are discharging our responsibility to ensure safety of the airport,” the airspace boss stressed.
