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Tag: NAMA

  • NAMA: We didn’t ground Oshiomhole’s aircraft

    NAMA: We didn’t ground Oshiomhole’s aircraft

    • We only delayed it’

    • ACN: ‘It’s executive misuse of power’

    • PDP: ‘No, it’s not’

     

    The Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), yesterday denied grounding the OAS helicopter that it recalled mid-air on Friday while carrying Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State to Awka, Anambra State.

    The agency said it merely delayed it for some minutes with a view to enforcing air safety regulations in the country.

    The action generated more reactions yesterday with the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Edo State saying it was pure executive misuse of power. The PDP in the state differed and said NAMA acted right as it owes the country a duty to ensure that airline operators follow the law.

    The managing director of NAMA, Nnamdi Udoh, said the helicopter pilot caused the problem by failing to file his flight plan and submitting the manifest as prescribed for such operations.

    Speaking through the general manager, Public Affairs of NAMA, Mr Supo Atobatele, he explained that the incident had nothing to do with politics, but purely an aviation matter bordering on rules and regulations.

    “We want to be emphatic with our declaration this afternoon that the safety and security related issues raised by our men on Friday at Benin Airport are about a flight plan and passenger manifest. It has no political undertone at all, but purely an aviation matter bordering on rules and regulation,” he said.

    He continued “Basically, as a matter of rules, we needed to know where the aircraft was going and how many people were on board. NAMA by statute is covered by legislation to demand for all these. But the pilot or his employer failed to comply with this simple procedure.

    “It is a globally acceptable procedure for a pilot to file his flight plan and declare his passenger manifest before getting a start up. When this is done, there will be no delay while perfecting your documentation at the point of departure.

    “It was a minor issue that should not be given political colouration as being portrayed now. NAMA is never political in discharging its duties. NAMA is safety driven as safety does not respect status, what is applicable to ordinary citizens is applicable to very important persons, because accident does not discriminate.”

    Also speaking, the coordinating spokesman for the aviation agencies, Mr Yakubu Dati, said the chopper was never grounded as being alleged in some quarters.

    According to him, the chopper was only delayed for a few minutes because the pilot did not do what he ought to have done, even as he denied that the crew were kept on ground for non payment navigational charges.

    Dati added that even pilots flying the presidential fleet are not exempted.

    He said the relevant aviation agency will sanction the airline and the pilot for violation of safety procedure.

    “Why did the pilot not comply with the safety procedure? They are used to taking things for granted. We will continue to ensure that we sink in the message,” he said.

    Also speaking, the general manager, NAMA air traffic control operations, Mr Chuks John Onyegiri said: “NAMA needs to know who is on board. It is purely security and safety issues. Nothing is wrong if the governor gives his name.

    “But, the pilot wanted to use executive connection. It is purely the fault of the pilot. We have to monitor every movement, from the take off of the aircraft to landing.

    “It is clear the pilot did not want to submit a flight plan and declare manifest. There is no more cutting of corners. After the pilot eventually complied, he hopped over to the airport for the flight plan.”

    The airspace manager of Benin Airport, Mr Lawrence Okoye, said:”NAMA is not interested in the occupants of the aircraft. The aircraft owner and pilot must comply with safety regulations. They must not circumvent the law.

    “The pilot bragged saying I have a governor on board. The pilot failed in his duty to comply with safety regulations. The pilot was on ground for 55minutes at Government House, which was sufficient time to get to Benin Airport to file a flight plan.

    “The pilot must know that Government House, Benin is not an airport, where he wanted to take off from without filing a flight plan. The pilot should have complied and advised the clients to understand.”

    Reacting to the Friday incident, ACN’s National Vice-Chairman, South-South, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, wondered if it was not “executive misuse of power,” because the authorities at the airport were aware of the presence of the chopper; they gave it clearance to land and to pick the governor and it was possible for them to have paid whatever fee they needed to pay before or after the journey, but it is surprising that they were allowed to take-off, only to be called back when they were already airborne and thereafter delayed them for hours.

    “This is not the first time a chopper will be coming to pick the chief executive of our (Edo) state, considering the terrain of parts of the country, where you cannot easily access by road or by direct flight, so I am surprised that this is happening now.”

    The National Youth Leader, ACN, Miriki Ebikina, described the incident as worrisome. He said, “The grounding of Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s chartered helicopter 42 days after a similar controversial incident was carried on the Rivers Governor’s Bombardier jet, in Akure, is vexatious.”

    However, the PDP Chairman in Edo State, Chief Dan Orbih, dismissed allegations of federal government’s involvement in the matter as unfounded, saying Nigerians should rather commend the aviation ministry for steps taken in recent times to ensure safer airspace.

    He said, “The allegation is baseless and unfounded. There are rules and regulations covering the operation of aircrafts and helicopters. These rules are meant to be applied irrespective of whoever is concerned. I am surprised that people are now trying to politicise apparent flagrant disobedience of a Filipino pilot, who from the account of NAMA, flouted its rules.

    “In the interest of Nigerians who have to travel, NAMA applied its rules. I don’t see any issue here, except that it was Oshiomhole that was on board, and I want to use this opportunity to commend the effort of the minister of Aviation who is doing everything to bring sanity to the industry.”

  • NAMA grounds Oshiomhole’s chopper

    NAMA grounds Oshiomhole’s chopper

    The Nigerian Aviation Management Agency on Friday recalled and grounded an airborne OAS Helicopter ferrying Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State to Awka, Anambra State for the funeral service of late Mrs. Colette Obi, wife of Senator Ben Obi, Special Adviser on Political Matters to the President.

    Pilot of the helicopter, Captain James Manahash, a Filipino, said “I was surprised that I was recalled after taking-off from Government House because I had communicated with the control tower on radio.

    “We were already airborne when we got the call to return to the airport and was even threatened that failure to do so would lead to complete grounding of the aircraft. The governor prevailed on me to return and listen to them.

    “When we got back to the airport, I was told to pay landing and aerodrome fees which ordinarily we could pay later because we were already airborne.

    “Even after the completion of the payment process within 10 minutes, we were still delayed for one hour and 15 minutes. The Governor left in anger after that.

    “I am surprised by this development because this is not the first time I would be coming to Benin to fly the governor.

    “I was even threatened, after payment, that the aircraft will be grounded completely if I argued with them.

    “I have flown for 35 years, seven of which I spent in Nigeria and this is the first time I am encountering a situation like this. I do not know what problem they have with the governor.”

    The Managing Director of the OAS Helicopters, Mr. Everest Nnaji, who was contacted, expressed shock at the incident, saying that “I am still making calls to find out exactly why they did not allow the pilot fly the helicopter conveying the governor to Anambra State. I am really angry, I don’t know why they did that and that is why I am still trying to make contact because we have no problems with NAMA.”

     

  • NAMA adopts new flight control method to cut cost

    The Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) migrated from precedural traffic services to area radar control of planes to cut cost, its Managing Director, Nnamdi Udoh, has said .

    The migration, he said, would lead to the saving of billions of naira in revenue yearly.

    With the migration, airlines would spend less time getting to their destinations, he said, adding that the new technology has put Nigeria in the league of countries with sophisticated air navigation facilities.

    Udoh listed its benefits to include increased airspace capacity, improved safety, reduced fuel consumption and flight time and efficient flow of air traffic within the airspace.

    According to him, with the new technology, pilots could achieve more efficiency in navigation in the airspace.

    He said the agency had deployed its surveillance facility for area radar control from its two area control centres in Lagos and Kano to allow for optimal flight operations by pilots.

    Flights by some foreign airlines, such as Air France, British Airway’s, Lufhansa, Air Portugal, Turkey Airlines, South African Airways, Egypt Air and Saudi Air, he said, had taken advantage of the last week.They flights were vectored on radar within the Kano flight information region.

    Area radar control is air traffic control service provided for airplanes flying within the Flight Information Region (FIR).

    He said NAMA has upgraded the radar maps and harmonised with its data base for accurate co-ordination of traffic when the enroute area radar control is fully deployed.

    He said: ”This technology will save airlines cost and reduce the flight time from take off to destination from the normal flight time of about one hour twenty minutes to about forty five minutes. This is good for the industry. “

    Udoh said plans were afoot to engage the College of Aviation Technology, Zaria, in the training of its personnel to man the system, adding that the more than 35 minutes saved during each flight will conserve more funds for airlines, running into billions of naira yearly.

    He said a five-year maintenance agreement has been signed with the contractor from France, which would ensure that engineers from the agency are trained on how to man the system.

    Udoh said: ”With this migration, NAMA air traffic controllers could monitor the movement of aircraft in flight with the appropriate coordinates from the point of take off to landing with correspondence of on board and ground equipment.

    ”We have the requisite and mandatory training for area radar controllers in Nigeria. We can now carry out positive control of aircraft from take off to landings . Air traffic controllers can now watch aircraft from point to point within the area radar coverage in the entire airspace.”

    Udoh said the migration was novel, because it was the first time the industry was complying with the technology that is already in use in other parts of the world, explaining that the new technology would give accurate location of the aircraft to traffic controllers.

    The NAMA boss said the migration will add value to the agency, because it has been incorporated into the automation of aeronautical information and other components of the radar coverage of Nigeria.

    He explained that under the new arrangement, air traffic controllers can monitor aircraft in the airspace from two locations in the Lagos and Kano Flight Information region.

  • ‘NAMA operated 420 flights during aviation workers’ strike’

    The air traffic controllers mobilised by the management of the Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), during Monday’s workers’ strike, operated 420 flights nationwide, it was learnt yesterday.

    This figure, according to a source within NAMA, contradicts speculations that airlines rendered skeletal services during the protest.

    The source hinted that over 19,168 passengers were flown in and out of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja, Lagos by domestic and international airlines during the strike.

    At the Lagos airport, departing passengers’ figure stood at 10,003, while the figure of the arriving passengers was 9,265.

    According to the source, there were 178 arrival flights by different aircraft into the Lagos airport and departure flights stood at 181. Whereas aircraft over-flying the nation’s airspace were 61.

    The source hinted that the huge number of aircraft operations and passenger figures were enough indications that air traffic controllers mobilised by the management of the agency were alive to their responsibility of ensuring that air transport should not be disrupted by any industrial action by unions in the essential services industry.

    The source listed aircraft types that operated during the strike to include Boeing 767, 727, 738, 737, McDonnel Douglas 83, Bombardier CRJ 900, ATR 42 and other types operated by the local and foreign airlines.

    The sources said that the robust flight activities during the strike were enough proof to invalidate the claims by the aviation unions that there were no competent personnel at the control tower to give clearance to aircraft.

    On Monday, the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) threatened that passengers were flying blindly, as the personnel mobilised to provide air traffic services were not competent.

    A statement by its Acting National Secretary, Comrade Olayinka Abioye, said:” Failure on the part of the management of NAMA in addressing the above has therefore resulted in the ongoing industrial protest by the workers of the agency, which has also necessitated slow operations of the air traffic.

    “However, we hasten to draw attention of the Nigerian flying public, the airlines and importantly, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority to the danger inherent in the current situation in NAMA whereby certain management staff, who do not have the prerequisite validation for the various air traffic control service facilities and systems are now drafted to take charge of these operations.

    “These include air traffic controllers, Aeronautical Information Services, Aeronautical Communications and Air Traffic Engineering Services, which is contrary to the International Civil Aviation Organisation standards and recommended practices on security and safety.”

     

  • Aviation workers shelve strike

    Aviation workers shelve strike

    …As FG set up committee to address issue

    The National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) and the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) has shelved their strike action.

    The suspension was on the heels of resolutions taken at the end of a meeting organised by the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu with head of the unions including management of the Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) in Abuja.

    The union had threatened to embark on strike action which ought to commence on Monday.

    Their dispute with the management of NAMA bothered on issues on staff welfare.

    In a statement issued by the Special Assistant to the Aviation Minister (Media), Joe Obi, on Monday in Abuja it was unanimously agreed that due notification was not given to the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity in the aforementioned dispute.

    According to the statement, “the meeting consequently resolved that: (i) the issue of determination of the basic salary and other allowances for the staff of NAMA concerned shall be taken up by a Committee to be headed by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Aviation.”(ii) To be included in that Committee are the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity and the Chairman, National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission (NSIWC). Other members are to be worked out by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Aviation including the number of Trade Union membership.

    “(iii) The time frame for the work of the Committee shall be concluded within a reasonable time as was deliberated upon and agreed at the meeting.

    (iv) Based on the above, the proposed strike by the Trade Unions was shelved

    The Resolutions were jointly signed by the National President of ATSSSAN, Benjamin Okewu, his NUATE counterpart, Mohammed Safiyanu, Director, Human Resources Management (HRM), NAMA, Dr. Uwem Akangson, Director, HRM, Federal Ministry of Aviation, Mr. Clement A. Dosunmu, National President, NATCA, Eyaru Victor, Director Compensation, NSIWC, Ukut S.U and the Director of Trade Unions, Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity, Mrs C.C. Dike.

     

  • ‘Private, chartered aircraft to report passengers’ identities’

    ‘Private, chartered aircraft to report passengers’ identities’

    Private and chartered aircraft operators are to indicate the identity of their passengers before their planes are cleared for take-off.

    The Managing Director of Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Nnamdi Udo, stated this in Lagos yesterday when members of the House of Representatives Committee on Aviation visited the agency as part of their oversight function.

    He said this became imperative as part of the safety and security measures in the aviation sector, in view of the security challenges facing the country.

    He said as a matter of policy, the airspace agency has circulated air navigation notices to the affected operators to be abreast of the identity of persons who are on board aircraft flying in the airspace.

    He said the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and NAMA are collaborating to protect the public. He insisted that foreign aircraft must inform the aeronautical agencies of the number of airports it intends to make brief stops, otherwise air traffic controllers would not give such aircraft take-off approvals.

    Udo said NAMA has stepped up its revenue drive by providing air traffic services to private airstrips and helipads in the Niger Delta region, adding that a substantial amount of revenue would accrue to the agency from that.

    He explained that NAMA has improved its air navigation services by completing the total radio coverage of the airspace to enhance communication between the pilots and traffic controllers.

    He said the agency is planning to start a multilateration system of air navigation in the Niger Delta region for helicopters that serve the oil and gas industry, which fly at lower altitude.

  • NAMA gets ultimatum over salary

    • New condition of service approved

    Various aviation unions yesterday threatened to embark on a one-day warning strike  if the management of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) fails to implement the approved salary structure for its personnel.

    The affected unions are the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) and the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE).

    In an apparent reaction to the strike billed for tomorrow, Friday, February, 22, NAMA, said it would implement the new condition of service contrary to insinuations from the union leaders to the contrary..

    The management attributed the delay in implementing the new salary structure to some critical omissions in the document approved by the National Salaries,Income and Wages Commission

    Addressing  NAMA workers at the Freedom Square, Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, National President of the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), Comrade Safianu Mohammed, said the strike is imminent.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Unions, NAMA set for showdown

    The National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) and Air Transport Service Senior Staff Association (ATSSSAN) have given the Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) a 14-day ultimatum to pay the workers the enhanced salary scheme.

    The workers, in a warning letter to the management of NAMA, which was signed by the executive members of NUATE, Abioye Olayinka, and Abdulkareem Motajo, said they would ground the services of the agency if their demands were not met.

    But NAMA said that a committee had been set up to study the new condition of service with the labour leaders to have an acceptable document for the benefit of the workers and the agency’s management.

    The letter states: “By this general bulletin, all NAMA workers are hereby placed on red alert, as we can authoritatively state that NAMA management has persistently continued to blackmail union leaders and threaten our members directly or indirectly.”

    But NAMA has denied this allegation. General Manager, Public Affairs, NAMA, Supo Atobatele, said in a statement there was no cause for alarm “over the purported strike notice issued by the said two unions NUATE and ATSSSAN on the delay in the implementation of new salary.”

    He said none of its workers or union leaders is being threatened by management.

    He said: “The latest development, however, is that a committee has been set up by the management to look into the grey areas of the new condition of service. We implore the union leaders to cooperate with the management to sort out the grey areas and come up with an acceptable document for the benefit of all.”

    In a related development, the NAMA has put in place the necessary logistics to start area radar control in the country.

    The Managing Director of the agency, Nnamdi Udoh, explained that area radar control is an air traffic control service, provided for airplanes flying within the Flight Information Region (FIR).

    According to him, many air traffic controllers have been trained to handle this operation at both Kano and Lagos area control centres for flight operations in the nation’s airspace.

     

     

     

  • NAMA to begin 24-hour services at three airports

    The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) will start 24-hour air traffic management services at three airports next month.

    According to its Managing Director, Mr Nnamdi Udoh, the airports are Yola, Owerri and Enugu.

    He said the decision was taken after consultation with the authorities.

    The agency, he said, would take off after the installation of air field lightings.

    He said NAMA would negotiate with the airport authority and airline operators who wish to operate night flights at the airports.

    He said: “The reason we are creating 24-hour operations is to take care of late operations at such airports. Such airlines will have to pay NAMA money, but if I make it 24 hours, I think that more planes will come and pay money. So, declaring 24 hours is good; that was what informed our decision. We want to provide manpower; we want to make more airlines to fly.

    “It will help to take care of situations were airlines do not have to get worried once it is 6 pm. Pilots do not need to be running around because you want to go and land in Owerri before they close. We are going to make all these airports 24 hours from March when the manpower is available.

    “There will be notice to airmen for the airports. Critical among them is Yola, Owerri and Enugu. We want to do that so that the airlines can schedule their operations. We will talk with them and find out which airport they want and any airport any operator wants will be available 24 hours.There is no point keeping it open and we don’t use it because most of those airports run on diesel.”

  • NAMA to switch to satellite air navigation soon

    NAMA to switch to satellite air navigation soon

    Barring any last minute changes, the Nigeria Air space Management Agency (NAMA) plans to switch from ground-based air navigation to satellite system soon, its General Manager, Public Affairs Mr Supo Atobatele has said.

    Migration to satellite-based navigation, according to experts, is expected to reduce the work load of some air navigation personnel, including air traffic controllers, as an aircraft fit with the modern technology is supposed to fly without any guidance by air traffic controllers until it gets close to the airport of arrival.

    When the new system comes into force, NAMA will require fewer air traffic controller to assist aircraft in flight.

    To achieve the implementation of the performance-based navigation, NAMA last year urged airline operators and pilots to key into the satellite system.

    Mr Atobatele told reporters that at a meeting between the agency and airlines’ operators and pilots , thelatter were informed about the need to key into the satellite system.

    “Recently, we met with the pilots in the industry and airline operators, just to inform them about the development in NAMA, particularly the satellite-based navigation system also known as performance-based navigational system. As you know, some weeks ago, we migrated from the terrestrial air navigation system to the satellite-based navigation system.

    “So, we need to tell them what we have on ground and what they should do. Particularly, for you to operate within the sphere of the PBN system, your aircraft must be compliance, it must carry the prerequisite gadgets. So, what we are trying to do is to just inform them.”

    He, however, stressed that any moment, NAMA would announce the commencement of the satellite system, adding that the airlines that would operate on the system are only those whose aircraft are compliance with the PBN system.

    “Anytime from now, we will announce a specific date for the commencement of the PBN system in Nigeria, particularly for the major air routes and airports, such as Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcort, and Kano”

    “As you are aware, the test flight has been done by Emirates Airline as the first to carry out the approach test on Global Navigation Satellite System, GNSS, in Lagos while the KLM recorded same in Kano. As at today, South Africa Airways has equally joined. They did it on their own and it was 100 per cent successful. So, we are urging all the local airlines to join too,” Atobatele said.

    On the benefits of the PBN, Mr Atobatele noted that the new system helps aircraft to land faster.