The Nigerian Airspace Management Authority (NAMA) has insisted that the Nigerian airspace is fully covered by radar.
This is contained in a statement signed by the Managing
Director of NAMA, Mr Ahmed Farouk, on Saturday in Lagos.
Farouk said that the radar stations in Nigeria, located in
Kano, Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt, are all serviceable.
He described as false and misleading the claims by a blogger
that an unidentified aircraft was spotted at the Presidential Villa, Abuja,
undetected.
According to him, radar services for terminal and enroute
flights are positively identified and provide air navigation services to
airspace users.
“The agency hereby wishes to state that the claim that the
Nigerian airspace is not covered by radar is false and misleading.
“The radar stations in Nigeria (Kano, Lagos, Abuja, and
Port-Harcourt) are serviceable. Radar services for terminal and enroute flights
are positively identified and provide air navigation services to airspace
users.
“Yes, it is true that the TRACON system, like any other
electronics systems, is undergoing an upgrade of software and modernisation to
meet the ever-growing demand for efficient, effective and seamless air traffic
management services.
“Furthermore, the welfare of Nigerian Air Traffic
Controllers in terms of salaries and allowances is not in contention, as to
suggest that it is the lowest in the world.”
Farouk added: “The reported ‘unidentified’ aircraft is
security terminology. In real terms, the aircraft in question is known, but
only to the ATC.
“The violation was in the interest of safety, as a result of
adverse weather (serious thunderstorm) on the said date.
“The purported circular issued by the NCAA is for airlines
to be guided from straying into the marked and published prohibited or
restricted areas of the Nigerian airspace.
“It is obvious that the journalist in question does not
understand the workings of the surveillance systems, hence his misconstrued and
misguided information on primary and secondary radar.
“The agency shall willfully volunteer information on her
services to anyone who requires them at any time,” said Farouk. ”
The NAMA boss assured of the agency’s commitment to ensure
sustainable welfare packages for its staff, especially the Air Traffic
Controllers.
According to him, NAMA remains committed to its
responsibility to provide safe, effective, economic, and efficient air
navigation services in Nigeria.
He said that the existence of robust, effective civil and
military coordination and collaboration guarantees secured airspace and air
navigation.
“We are pleased to say that the Nigerian airspace is safe
and secured,” he noted.