November 23, (THEWILL) – Normal flight operations have resumed at all the airports in the country, following the suspension of 3-hour flow control embarked upon by Air Traffic Controllers (ATCs).
Flow control is a traffic flow management technique used in order to regulate the rate at which aircraft enter congested resources such as airport airspace to a level no greater than the resource can accept.
The ATCs had on Tuesday morning embarked on a 3-hour flow control for two days, 23rd and 24th November, 2021 from 0600 UTC to 0900 UTC to register their displeasure, calling the attention of relevant authorities and the public to quickly address their concerns without further delay.
In protest to poor working environment and inadequate staff, the association also demanded that NAMA management and relevant authorities should provide Air Traffic Control for the four major airports in Nigeria (Abuja Lagos, Port Harcourt and Kano) and to any other airport where an ATC operational vehicle is critically needed.
Part of their demands include “That ATC Operational rooms are provided with adequate and quality ATC operational chairs and headsets” .
“That at least 500 ATCOs be recruited to address the critical dearth in ATC manpower within the next two years starting with 70 recruits within the next 3 months” .
“Approve and implement a 500% upward review of the annual ATC medical allowance to enable ATCOs carry out comprehensive medical assessment among others” .
“That all Air Traffic controllers be enrolled in an enhanced comprehensive health and life insurance schemes that will meet their health needs” amongst others.
But in a statement issued Tuesday evening, the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) stated that the agency has intervened in the matter.
According to the statement signed by the Managing Director/CEO of NAMA, Capt Fola Akinkuotu, the agency stated that “The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) hereby wishes to inform the general public that following the intervention of NAMA management, normalcy has been restored, as the Flow Control, earlier embarked upon by members of the Nigerian Air Traffic Controllers Association today, the 23rd of November, 2021 has been suspended.
The above suspension, NAMA hinted, is to pave the way for a follow-up meeting between NAMA management, Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the association, scheduled to hold later today.
“The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) hereby wishes to reassure airspace users and the general public that the Nigerian airspace remains safe for seamless and economic air travel. We also regret any inconveniences caused earlier today”, NAMA assured.
Meanwhile, Nigerian Air Traffic Controllers’ Association (NATCA) rose from an emergency meeting conveyed over the tragic, painful and avoidable exit of one of their diligent and dedicated colleagues Mr. Aniekan Effiong Inuk in the early hours of Monday November 22, 2021.
The council observed that within the last 2 years, Nigerian Air Traffic Controllers Association has lost 9 of her members on active service due to stress related health complications which seem associated with poor working conditions and inadequate staffing.
The association therefore, appealed “That a standard medical emergency kits be provided at all ATC units and a yearly Health Safety Environment (HSE) training programs for ATCOs be conducted”.
“That all ATC communication facilities and equipment, most especially, the VHF radios and SATCOM links be holistically rectified in order to address the perennial communication problems encountered in Nigerian airspace” .
“That the staff deployed to ATC from other departments who have been stagnated on the same grade level for over 7 years be placed on their appropriate grade levels having fulfilled all requirements to be Air Traffic Controllers”.
Equally demanded was “That all appropriate managements should immediately approve and implement an upward review of the remunerations of contract ATCOs to make for them to earn Aerodrome and Approach rating allowances”.
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.
