Air traffic communication group calls out NAMA over infractions 

The President of the National Air Traffic Communicators Association of Nigeria (NACAN), Alhaji Rabiu Mohammed Sani has condemned the undue politicking going on in some directorates in the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), describing it as a ticking time bomb that will detonate anytime.

Unless urgent steps are taken, Sani said the Air Traffic Communication Department in NAMA faces extinction, while appealing to the Minister of Aviation, Mr Festus Keyamo and other industry stakeholders to rescue the unit from the antics and undue interference of the agency’s Directorate of Air Traffic Services.

 Sani, who made this appeal in Kano while delivering his welcome address at the 10th NACAN AGM, revealed that politicking was being played by some few individuals within the directorate who prioritized their selfish interests above the interest of the system and  that of the country.
Sani noted that the same game played out a few years ago when the responsibility of transmitting Air Traffic Safety Messages , including :  flight plans,  which  was ceded to a wrong Department in the Agency.

He said unusual developments in the agency in the past  caused flight plans to be missing.
He said : “In fact, it generated a global catastrophe until this profession took up the matter with the Secretary General of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) to have a lasting solution to it. As I speak, the ATS Directorate is at it again.”

He revealed further that recently, a department which statutorily has nothing to do with transmission through Aeronautical Fixed Telecommunication Network (AFTN) as they were not trained to do so was being directed to henceforth assume that responsibility.

According to him, the ugly trend remained a time bomb, if left unchecked and will give the Nigerian Aviation industry a negative image before ICAO as well as the international community and should be reversed with immediate effect to avert imminent disaster.

“Aeronautical Communicators undergo a rigorous 44 weeks class work at the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, Zaria,  four weeks field attachment and after graduation, they undergo a  six  months logging under the supervision of Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), undergo NCAA examinations before being licensed in accordance with ICAO ANNEX 1 (Personnel Licensing).”

He accused the Directorate of choosing to take side instead of doing the right thing by calling those involved to order, having been aware of the training of Aeronautical Communicators and licensed to operate Communications Equipment as enshrined in ICAO Annex 10 Vols II & III.

Sani further appealed to the Director, Air Traffic Services to reconsider the action taken in the interest of the flying public, the Agency and the nation.

He decried non completion of the ATS Message Handling System (AMHS) installations project which commenced many years ago in the four major airports of Kano, Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt.

According to him it is a development that required urgent attention and close monitoring as well as proper engagements by the NAMA management team and aviation ministry.
“It will interest you to know that the AMHS equipment we are struggling to install in Nigeria for over a decade has since been installed in Kenya, Niamey and in most of the Nigerian Flight Information Regions (FIRs) and ICAO Contracting states.”

Sani explained, that as the Nigerian Airspace experience growth and expansion resulting from increase in flight activities, ICAO recommended the transition from Aeronautical Fixed Telecommunication Network (AFTN) to ATS Message Handling System (AMHS) in order to achieve improved service delivery considering the sensitivity of these services to the safety and security of the flying public.

He appreciated the contributions of Kano State Governor,  Engr Abba Kabir Yusuf for his unwavering support, the first Governor in Nigeria that earmarked over 30 percent  of Kano budgetary allocation for Education alone.

Sani also appreciated Mai Mala Buni, the Executive Governor of Yobe state whose administration sponsored her candidates to read Aeronautical Communications at the Nigerian College of Aviation, Zaria  they are on the payroll of NAMA