February 15, (THEWILL) – Air passengers flying into Makurdi in Benue State can now travel easily as arrangements have been made for a seamless flight operations into the city.
Already, the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), had deployed its technical staff to the Makurdi airport, in readiness for resumption of flight into Benue State.
The Acting Managing Director, Nigeria, NAMA, Mr Lawrence Pwajok, who gave the hint, informed that air traffic controllers, engineers, aeronautical information and communication have been deployed to Makurdi to take over from the military.
Speaking on the deployment of air navigation facilities to the airport during the oversight visit of the joint National Assembly Committees on Aviation to NAMA in Lagos, he said, his staff and managers were fully on ground in Makurdi as well as facilities that can support the military equipment there.
He stated, the agency had also designed satellite navigation capability into Makurdi and awaiting it publication.
âWe signed an agreement with the state government, the Air Force, NAMA, FAAN in December and that MoU was for us to move in there to provide the air navigation services to provide for civil flight operations and we have moved in there and we are providing air traffic services and air navigation services for the safety of any civil flight that might need to operate there.â
The Acting NAMA boss said, the Benue State Government is also planning to build a new airport in the state, adding that, last week ago, there was an inspection of a new airport location in the state in conjunction with the ministry of Aviation and other aviation agencies.
âThe state government invited us to access and evaluate a new site for a state government airport but for the military airport or the Makurdi airport itself.â
Mr. Pwjok assured that, NAMA was objective and willing to ensure deployment of navigation equipment are adequately reflective of the geographic location of the country.
Commending NAMA, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Aviation, Senator Smart Adeyemi, expressed satisfaction with the efforts of the agency in achieving results despite the challenges posed by Covid-19.
Corroborating Senator Adeyemi the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee, Honourable Nnaji Nnolim also commented NAMA for improvements of navigational infrastructure.
Hon Nnolim, however, advised that, beyond zonal distributions, NAMA should consider some airports that are very viable in deployment of equipment.
Anthony Awunor, is a business correspondent who holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Linguistics (UNILAG). He is also an alumnus of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria Kaduna State. He lives in Lagos.
