NATCA wants FG to tackle poor radio communications

…Decries poor ATCs allowances in NCAT

Chukwuemeke Iwelunmo

The Nigeria Air Traffic Controllers Association NATCA has appealed to the federal government to come to the aid of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency NAMA to end the current poor radio communications between Pilots and controllers in the airspace. The National president of NATCA Abayomi Agoro, who made this appeal at the national secretariat in Lagos in a chat with reporters said the appeal became necessary as NAMA can no longer bear the financial burdens of maintaining the some of the navigational aids as a result of high cost of maintenance. Agoro urged the Federal government to look inwards especially to get money from the Bilateral Air Services Agreement funds to keep the system running without breakdown. He noted that the management of NAMA under the present leadership has done its best to keep the system working especially with the recent acquisition of radar spare parts. Agoro expressed delight that with the recent acquisition of the radar spare parts, that controllers work will be seamless adding, that malfunctioning parts would be replaced without necessary collapse of the entire system and commended the management for the safe airspace in the country. According to the NATCA president, while maintaining professionalism, the association will strive to ensure that customers of NAMA will be given services commensurate with the money stressing that they will do everything possible will be done for the country to retain its category one status. Agoro renewed call for the government to continue retraining and recruitment of Air Traffic Controllers to fill the vacuum created in the system as a result of the retirement of personnel from the system. On remuneration for air traffic controllers at the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology Zaria, Agoro lamented the poor allowances package for them stressing that the college was not fair to the ATCs there. According to him, what they earn as allowances were not commensurate with their position “Our controllers in NCAT are not being treated well in the area of allowances” He vowed to take it up with the relevant authorities in order to address the issue, Agoro was elected president of NATCA December 2018 to lead air traffic controllers in Nigeria in the next three years.