Aviation

NAMA Begins Validation Process for Commercial Flights in Ogun

By Web News 189

By Abimbola Bamgbose 

The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, NAMA, has commenced flight validation checks at the Gateway International Airport in Ogun State, marking a significant step toward the launch of commercial flight operations at the facility.

On Monday, a team led by the Manager of Flight Calibration Services, Mr Miri Selzing, conducted a series of flight checks to assess the airport’s compliance with predefined operational procedures.

Mr Selzing noted that the exercise aimed to verify the accuracy and alignment of flight paths and procedures established for the airport.

He lauded the state government for developing the airport within a remarkably short timeframe and emphasised the need for installing an Instrument Landing System, ILS, and other essential navigational aids to support safe flight operations.

Given the progress already achieved, he expressed optimism that the airport would soon begin accommodating commercial aircraft.

Speaking during the visit, the Ogun State Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Mr Ade Akinsanya, confirmed that the NAMA team had completed runway checks on Runways 23 and 05 and identified key waypoints for navigation.

He added that once the validation process is finalised, the flight procedures will be published online to enhance accessibility for operators.

Providing an update on construction progress, the commissioner stated that the airport is approximately 97 per cent complete, with critical infrastructure including the control tower, air traffic control personnel, fire and rescue services, and other operational facilities already in place.

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Transportation

NAMA, DSS, Collaborate to Enforce No-Fly Zones

By Web News 426

By Nosa Aituamen

The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, NAMA, and the Department of State Services, DSS, are collaborating to address recent violations of No-Fly Zones in the country especially in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja.

This is coming on the heels of recent encroachments of the No-Fly Zones by airlines operating in the nation’s airspace given that violations of prohibited areas pose significant risks to aviation operations and national security.

During a meeting in Abuja to deliberate on the issue, both agencies emphasized the essence of maintaining safety and security standards within the Nigerian airspace as well as adhering to International Civil Aviation Organization, ICAO, guidelines, particularly those outlined in Section 4444 of the Procedures for Air Navigation Services – Air Traffic Management (PANS-ATM).

A statement by the Director, Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Abdullahi Musa, says these guidelines establish standardized procedures to ensure the safe, efficient, and orderly flow of global air traffic.

He said at the meeting, the Managing Director, NAMA, Mr. Farouk Ahmed stressed the need to educate airlines and pilots about adhering to established protocols, listening attentively to air traffic controllers, and maintaining stringent security measures.

The NAMA boss called for strict adherence to the prohibited designated and NOTAMed no-fly zones as published in the Aeronautical Information Publications (AIP) as this was critical in ensuring the security and safety of air navigation in the country.

In his remarks, the DSS Director of Security Enforcement, Steve Ojelade noted that no-fly zones were non-negotiable, stressing that any violations by airspace users could attract severe consequences, including potential military intervention to safeguard national security assets.

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Transportation

Aviation Unions Suspend Proposed Strike

By Web News 542

The planned industrial action by aviation unions on the non-implementation of the New minimum wage and release of the approved Condition of Service has been suspended.

Unions in the industry last week had threatened to ground flight operations in the country with the withdrawal of their services nationwide from today, February 8 if their request were not granted.

The suspension was announced in a communique jointly signed by the Ministers of Aviation, Labour and leadership of the five aviation unions after a meeting held on Monday in Abuja.

In the communique, it was agreed that on the matters of the minimum wage and consequential adjustment, the National Salaries, Income, and Wages Commission, NSIWC should issue a Service of Wide Circular informing all organisations in the public and private sectors that they are bound to implement the wage and adjustment.

While the Ministry of Aviation is to do the same to all agencies under its supervision, requesting them to implement it without further delay and clarify that the payment became effective from April 18, 2019, when the minimum wage was signed into law.

It also adds that those that have exited the system during the period to date would also be paid arrears.

It was also agreed that the financial aspect for the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, NAMA and Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA will be resolved by the Presidential Committee on Salaries (PCS) by the third week of February as it concerns the approval and release of the reviewed conditions of service while that for FAAN has been released since 2019 but there were issues which were observed and have been forwarded to the Ministry.

For the Nigerian Meteorological Agency, NiMet, the communique notes that the financial implication of the CoS has been approved by the PCS and the implementation process has been concluded except for hazard allowances which would be reconsidered by the NSWIWC on a sectorial level.

At the end of the meeting, it was unanimously agreed that by March 31, 2022, the Ministry of Aviation must ensure the approval, release and implementation of the reviewed CoS for all the workers in the agencies under the aviation ministry.

At the meeting from the unions’ side were; the President, National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE), Abednego Galadima, National President of the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), Illitrus Ahmadu, National President of the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), Ben Nnabue, National President of the Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP), Kabir Gusau and the National President of the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporation, Civil Service and Technical Employees (AUPCTRE), Benjamin Anthony.

While from the government side in attendance were, the Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, Permanent Secretaries of the Ministries of Labour and Aviation, the chairman of the National Salaries Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC), representatives of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Trade Union Services and Industrial Relations (TUSIR), Budget Office of the Federation and the Head of Civil Service.

Frcn, Abuja