TO ensure that its operations are not disrupted by unstable electricity, the authorities of the Nigerian Air Management Agency (NAMA) have begun the process of using solar energy for their highly sensitive equipment in Abuja, Lagos, Port Harcourt and other major airports.
The process has reached an advanced stage, according to the Managing Director of NAMA, Nnamdi Udoh.
Udoh said at a breakfast meeting with aviation stakeholders at the weekend, that given the sensitive nature of the agency's services and the Federal Government's emphasis on the safety of the nation's airspace, everything had been put in place to sustain the confidence of both local and international operators in the aviation sector.
"Today, I'm proud to announce that with the deployment of TRACON Satellite monitoring equipment at major airports in the country, the era when pilots used to complain of near-misses are over. But what is still needed is for all stakeholders, especially pilots, to always give us feedback on the performance of the equipment with a view to improving on any aspect of the agency's services," he said.
On the argument that Ghana had taken over the West Coast airspace, Udoh said that was the situation before the installation of modern digital equipment in the nation's airspace, which has made it possible for NAMA Air Traffic Controllers (ATCs) to monitor take-off and landing of passenger planes in other neighbouring countries, up to the Southern African region and beyond.
On the occasion, Group Captain John Obakpolo (rtd), a major stakeholder, told The Guardian that compared with the situation some years ago, "NAMA has witnessed improvement with the modern equipment it has currently put in place; what is needed is a synergy that would promote a better working relationship between NAMA and the Nigerian Air Force towards better monitoring of our airspace given the security challenges in the country."
The Guardian