Abayomi Agoro,NATCA President

The Nigerian Air Traffic Controllers Association(NATCA) is not happy with the type of manpower being recruited into the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency(NAMA)

President of the umbrella body of air traffic controllers in Nigeria,Mr.Abayomi Agoro stated the views of the Association  AT THE ATC-PILOT FORUM INTERACTIVE SESSION HELD in Lagos.

He said the type of manpower being recruited into NAMA are completely at variance with the real needs of the Agency as an Air Navigation Service Provider.

According to him,a holistic evaluation of the staff strength of the Agency on a department by department or directorate by directorate basis in line with the core mandate of the Agency as well as the standard template accepted by the Civil Air Navigation Service Organization (CANSO) and industry best practice, needs to be embarked upon without delay.

“Our main goal as a professional body is the continued promotion of safety, efficiency, and regularity in both the domestic and international air navigation, as well as to assist and advise our authorities in the development of safe ATC systems”,

Agoro also said that it is also encompasses NATCA challenge to keep up a high standard of knowledge and professional efficiency, a high moral and ethical standard among air traffic controllers.

He emphasized that it is  also the duties of the Association to closely co-operate with international and national aviation authorities and institutions concerned with air navigation in promoting and enhancing safety of flight operations.

On the 50% deduction of Internally Generated Revenue (IGR),he explained that as an agency of government, NAMA and the other aviation agencies are continuously handicapped to undertake implementation of critical and time-constrained programmes or projects because of the government policy on the deduction of 50% at source of the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of this sector.

He appealed to the Minister  to use his good office to reverse this policy as it affects these safety sensitive and critical sectors, like NAMA and the other sister agencies in the sector.

“ We sincerely believe that with a reversal or exception given to this sector, we will be able to achieve some milage in addressing some of the financial burdens of the sector”

Speaking further,he  observed with alarm the proliferation and establishment of departments that have no direct or incidental bearing to the core mandates of the agencies in the sector, most especiallyNigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA),Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET),Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) and Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB).

“ We are sure as a legal mind you will agree with us that there are departments that have not been provided for or intended by the provisions in the NCAA Establishment Act 49 of 2022 and NAMA Establishment Act 48 of 2022 (all as amended and Gazette as No. 22). These are some of the issues that may significantly increase the financial overhead of the agencies and detract them from their original mandates”