The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has expressed concern about the challenges and difficulties airlines and air travellers have experienced in the past days as a result of reduced flight visibility.
In a statement issued in Lagos, the managing director of the agency, Mr. Emma Anasi, NAMA attributed the situation to the prevailing harmattan dust haze that has limited operations into most airports.
“While the agency is not unmindful of the economic losses to airlines, passengers and other airport stakeholders, the agency is however primarily required to ensure safety of lives and properties by ensuring that all flight operations are in compliance with minimum state weather conditions as published by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) for each airport,” he said.
The managing director said NAMA had earlier taken appropriate measures to ensure the availability and reliability of air navigation facilities at all the airports. In addition, he said NAMA had I October 2015 implemented and published Performance Based Navigation (PBN) flight procedures for the guidance of aircraft into and out of 16 domestic airports in addition to similar procedures implemented at Lagos, Kano, Abuja and Port Harcourt in 2012.
“The Agency wishes to use this opportunity to encourage Nigerian airline operators to equip their fleets and take advantage of these new PBN flight procedures, as well as other satellite based navigation systems such as Automatic Dependent Surveillance Contract (ADS-C) and Controller Pilot Data Link Communication Systems that were implemented in 2015, with increased level of safety, accuracy, reliability, integrity, availability and continuity of service.
“Furthermore, while the current severe weather conditions are expected to improve within the next few days, NAMA in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Transportation has embarked on the upgrading of existing facilities, as well as the deployment of new communication, navigation, surveillance and air traffic management systems that will further enhance capacity as well as safety, efficiency and economy of flight operations.
“NAMA wishes to state that flight operations in the year had have been relatively very safe following significant investments made in the development of safety critical infrastructure and manpower.
