By Oyise OGHENE
ABUJA: The ongoing imbroglio between the Air Traffic Controllers under the aegis of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) yesterday took a twist as both parties traded words over the lack of communication facilities in the airspace which could lead to air disaster if adequate caution was not taken.

Speaking during an interactive session with newsmen, President of NATCA, Mr. Victor Eyaru affirmed that the communication problem with the radio has existed for three decades beyond this management and the solution to the problem has overwhelmed all the managements of NAMA even up till now.

Mr. Eyaru however called on the Federal Government to declare state of national emergency on aviation communication facilities in the interest of all Nigerian and to forestall any mid air collusion in the airspace which could cause air disaster.

Coming at a time when the nation just witnessed a helicopter crash, the call according to the NATCA President cannot be shrugged off as it is a very important wake up call for NAMA management to do all it takes to set the wrongs right.

Eyaru expressed sadness that the NAMA management expended over N400 million for the total VHF coverage project and was sadder still that NAMA bought personalized headsets of over N400, 000 each which is not a solution to the problem.

He said“If all operational Air Traffic Controllers, who are members of NATCA, through their daily loggings, are saying the communication equip0ment available to them should be improved upon to avert impending air disaster are termed as alarmists and saboteurs, then, the system needs a curative measure fast.”

”sectorisation of Lagos sub FIR, this is not the solution to their problem as being touted by NAMA management and their collaborators” he added.

The ATCs further argued that those communication facilities at the ACC in Kano (124.1MHz and 128.5MHz) had been sectorised for long and yet it has not yielded the communication buffer they were looking for asking if Lagos is sectorised whether it would make any difference just like Kano which they said was in a state of disarray.

Meanwhile, reacting to the accusation of NATCA, the management of NAMA in a statement signed by the General Manager Public Affairs, Mr. Supo Atobatele debunked the claim stressing that their position on the communication status of the agency does not exist. The statement reads in part”The management is affirmative that the seeming gloomy picture being painted by this group does not exist as the daily statistics show more traffic across the nation ‘s airports, averaging 500, apart from over 150 daily flights around the Port harcourt Airport axis  operated  by  the oil companies”.

“Apart from this, daily foreign flights into the country has been on the increase ,just as the nation is being inundated with more requests by the foreign airlines aspiring to explore Nigerian market”.

“What else do you need to measure a safer sky?If there are no communication as being touted by the controllers, one may  then ask of their magic wand in handling these flights in question over decades as suggested in their statement”.

“We view this latest affront on the management by the controllers as another attempt to distract its attention from pursuing the  set goals of transforming the agency to a world class air navigation service provider”.

“Though, we would not like to join issues with them, it however behoves on us to state that the  total VHF radio coverage of the country has been completed and like any new project, it is being fine tuned by the engineers to allow it operate as specified”.

“We confirm again the on going effort to  the  Lagos Area Control Centre  by deploying 120.9MZH and what we demand from the controllers is cooperation to achieve this drive as a recent test run of the frequency by both controllers and engineers proved successful”.

“Over 300 controllers had  so far been trained this year alone to enhance productivity and is on record that this group enjoys upmost priority in the scheme of things, particularly training in the agency”.

“It is therefore, absurd for this group to use NATCA platform to challenge the integrity of the management, particularly the managing director Engr. Nnamdi Udoh whose 32 years of service has been on  the provision  of quality air traffic management  not only in Nigeria, but also in the sub- region”.

“The federal government, like we recently announced had expended more than N15 billion on various capital projects  at NAMA covering AIS automation, World Geodetic Survey (WGS-84),TRACON and VHF radio coverage among other safety critical projects to boost  air safety in Nigeria”.

“Finally the management would want to deny the mix up in the purchase  price of headsets. NATCA should always take the pain to check its facts before going public”.