NAMA to boost workforce, upgrade airspace facilities

The air traffic controllers (ATC) yesterday heaved a relief as the
authority promised to employ more workers and upgrade facilities
nationwide.
The Managing Director of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency
(NAMA), Capt. Fola Akinkuotu, said the agency had concluded plans to
employ more controllers to reduce the stress of overstretched workers.
Akinkuotu, at a forum in Kano, explained that the agency was working
tirelessly to improve the welfare of workers and upgrade of facilities
for optimal performance.
He added that NAMA was in the process of commencing multilateration in
the Gulf of Guinea in order to capture low level aircraft in that
region.
He said the emergence of drones was a challenge in the industry, as he
charged aviators to rise up to the challenges posed by its emergence.
Akinkuotu said further that the Lagos area was sectorised in order to
enhance safety, adding that the agency was hoping to conclude the AIS
automaton before the end of the year.
Agoro said the problems include acute shortage of critical manpower,
acquisition of new surveillance system and upgrade of present TRACON
system to serve as back up and to address the dearth of special fund
for ATC training.
Others are the epileptic and unreliable communication equipment and
the belated lingering approval of ATC new scheme of service to address
the perpetual misunderstanding and unnecessary frictions capable of
jeopardising the work between ATCs and others.
He said NATCA, being mindful of the enormous responsibilities placed
on its shoulders, there was need to consolidate the much needed
synergy between Pilots and ATCs in order to further improve safety of
the flying public.