●NAMA records 700 deficits

Nigeria’s aviation market is grappling with a paucity of traffic controllers to meet growing demand, Woleshadarenews has learnt.
President, National Air Traffic Controllers of Nigeria (NATCA), Victor Eyaru, told our correspondent that the shortfall meant existing controllers are overworked.

Eyaru, who spoke in Lagos, said it is a worrisome development, stressing that the problem could lead to avoidable crisis if not urgently checked.
This is coming despite Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) engaging the services of 40 Air Traffic Control Officers (ATCO) late last year to boost shortage in manpower, especially caused by ageing workforce.

NATCA is of the view that Nigeria needs about 700 air traffic controllers, but has only 400, adding that it explains why the Federal Government had failed to meet its hiring goals for air traffic controllers for five years, which has left the number of air traffic controllers in the country at its lowest in 16 years.

NATCA members are worried that this is happening at a time that air traffic is increasing as a result of the springing up of more aerodromes in the country.
He called on government to begin the employment of at least between 50 and 100 air traffic controllers annually to ensure that there was no vacuum created as a result of aging workforce in the NAMA.

The NATCA president, while commending the NAMA engineers for keeping the radars working, urged government to source for spare parts for the Radars in the country to ensure that controllers did not go back to procedural air traffic control in the country.
He disclosed that the number of “certified professional controllers” had declined due to retirement without replacement. He also observed that fatigue occasioned by long hours of work against the recommended practice is likely to undermine air safety.

The situation apparently calls for the employment of more air traffic controllers to reduce the tight work schedule of these professionals.
According to aviation experts, air traffic controllers are people trained to maintain the safe, orderly and expeditious flow of air traffic in the global air traffic control system.

The position of air traffic controller is one that requires highly specialised knowledge, skills and abilities. They also guide pilots to keep aircraft flying safely, efficiently and on time.
There is no doubt that air traffic controllers are important in the aviation industry in view of their indispensable function in ensuring air safety. Therefore, government should not ignore the alarm over the shortage of these professionals.

The expert noted that the nation’s aviation authorities should treat the concerns raised by NATCA with dispatch. The dearth of this category of workers, they said, portends great danger for air safety, particularly at a time that more airports are being built across the country.