By Kelvin Osa Okunbor
Nigerian Air Traffic Controllers’ Association (NATCA) has urged the Federal Government and aviation authorities to restore serviceability of navigational and landing facilities at the Lagos Airport.
NATCA President Abayomi Agoro said fixing sloppy navigational facilities would end hitches recently experienced at the Lagos Airport.
The hitches, the union leader said, forced foreign carriers to divert their aircraft to neighbouring countries.
He said fixing epileptic navigational as well as landing facilities at Lagos Airport was the right way to go.
In a statement in Lagos, the association said it was not the time to apportion blames but the time for collaboration among stakeholders to ensure seamless safety regime and prompt navigational services.
Besides the dilapidated state of the facilities, Agoro also raised concerns about the failure of the appropriate agency to calibrate landing and other navigational facilities at the Lagos Airport.
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He said : “The Nigerian Air Traffic Controllers’ Association notes with displeasure the unwholesome event unfolding at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, amongst which was the diversion of British Airways and Air France flights to Accra and Cotonou respectively.
“The sad event was occasioned by poor visibility and haze but more worryingly accentuated by the degraded state of navigational and landing facilities due to lack of calibration.
“We are equally concerned about the untold hardship the situation has visited on our members working in Lagos Terminal Approach position whose statutory responsibility is to ensure round-the-clock safety in taking off and landing.
“In as much as we sincerely appreciate government’s huge investment in the upgrade of aviation infrastructure in the sector, NATCA is nevertheless concerned about the perennial state of degradation of the essential facilities and working tools with attendant increased stress and workload, which in practical terms, translate to serious safety implications for the flying public.”
” NATCA, therefore, urges the relevant authorities to take immediate steps to restore the full serviceability of the navigational and landing aids to ensure an effective end to the hitches recently experienced and prevent a recurrence of same.
“This is not the time to apportion blames, but it must be emphasised that the time has come for all hands to be on deck to ensure seamless safety regime and prompt navigational services.”
May we also use this medium to assure the flying public of our competence and preparedness to work with airlines and aviation stakeholders to ensure safety in our airspace. “
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