The Director General of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, (NAMA) Nnamdi Udo, on Saturday made an open call to operators of domestic airlines to commence late night flights as equipment to enable such operations are now available on request.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Saturday breakfast programme, Sunrise, Mr Anuforom said for “airlines who want to operate late … infrastructures are adequately available for (anytime) operation but they should notify us. It’s important Nigerians know this, so that nobody thinks what’s obtainable in New York is not available here.”
On Friday night, Enugu and Owerri had passengers up until 11pm, he added.
He admitted that most airports have “sunrise to sunset” operations but “today we have enough infrastructure for airlines to go in there (airports) anytime they want,” especially since traffic has increased as a result of the festive season.
Speaking about the loan obtained from China, Mr Udoh said it is being used to sustain the infrastructure which is existing as well as ensure total radar coverage, instrument landing system, air-field landing system in the aviation sector.
Backing up the Aviation Minister’s comments regarding the development in the sector, Director General of Nigerian Meteorological Agency, (NIMET) Mr Anthony Anuforum said that “everything we are doing is the implementation of the aviation master-plan.”
“We have acquired a wide range of infrastructure satellite image receivers, upper-air monitoring equipment and so on.”
According to the DG, six Doppler Radar Readers have been purchased while two have been installed and are operational in Abuja and Port Harcourt, the third and fourth are being installed in Yola and Maiduguri although there are security challenges.
“We have also procured wind shear alert systems” which are already in 8 airports and plans are underway to install in two more airports.
Upper air monitoring instrument have been increased to 8.
Thunderstorm detectors are available at up to 20 locations in the country, while satellite image receivers have also been acquired.
“These are the facilities we have and these are all part of what we are implementing to ensure safety.”
“Our services in air traffic control and surveillance is world class.”
