To reduce air traffic congestion, coupled with adverse weather associated with the time of the year, the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has installed new Very High Frequency (VHF) communication radios across the country.
The agency is also installing Instrument Landing System/Distance Measuring Equipment (ILS/ DME) at Lagos and Kano airports. Distance Measuring Equipment (DME) is a navigation beacon, usually coupled VHF omnidirectional range (VOR) to enable aircraft to measure their position relative to that beacon. Aircraft send out signals, which is sent back after a fixed delay by the DME.
The Managing Director of NAMA, Capt. Fola Akinkuotu, noted that the agency recognises that apart from the adverse weather associated with the season, there is also a huge demand for air traffic services and has taken steps to strengthen its technical and operational capacity. Akinkuotu disclosed that all the country’s navigational facilities are working at optimal levels, with precision approach landing aids at the five international airports where traffic is high also in top form.
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He equally disclosed that air traffic controllers and other critical staff have been deployed to busy airports to ensure that there is no fatigue arising from pressure of work. The NAMA boss also noted that airspace managers in all Nigerian airports have 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.
He reiterated that 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.
He said as a department saddled with the responsibility of actualising the economic objective of the agency, it behoves the staff to operate a transparent platform whereby all the agency’s earnings are clearly harvested through proper issuance of invoices for settlement of charges. Akinkuotu stressed that the realisation of the budget estimates by the agency can only be actualised through diligent processing of returns by personnel of commercial department.