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Ojikutu writes Minister, seeks solution to aviation sector woes
Aviation security expert, Group Capt. John Ojikutu (rtd) has appealed to the Minister of State for Aviation, Hadi Sirika to come to the aid of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) in the provision of acquisition of navigational tools to ensure airspace safety.
Ojikutu in a letter to the Minister, said he was worried about the myriads of problems bedevilling the sector ranging from perceived aviation fuel, foreign exchange scarcity, airlines recurring debts, problem of inclement weather occasioned by harmattan haze which he said has reduced visibility for pilots and poor navigational aids at virtually all the aerodromes across the country.
His words, “These are not natural phenomenon but man-made. Why should the major airports known to have been installed with Category 11 Instrument Landing System (ILS) remain closed to commercial flights because of 300 meter visibility if they were or had been regularly calibrated according to the NCARs and the NAMA operational standards and procedures?
“With all these problems, it appears your hands are full and you need help; that you must seek urgently before the industry collapses on all of us. I am worried and I believe you are too about the persistent problems in the industry but we both must agree that what has been happening does not put it in good light to the public and certainly not to the rest of the aviation world,” he added.
This came against the backdrop of call by airline for the upgrade or get better equipment , by upgrading the ILS facilities to Category three (CAT 111).
The carriers urged the relevant agencies need to invest in modern navigation aids and runway lights so that we don’t have to come back again next year complaining about the same thing as we have done for so many decades.
Chairman of AON, Capt. Nogie Meggison decried the situation and described it as appalling.
Also, the planned concession of airports might be a way forward provided it is transparent and with a clear agenda as the Concessionaire would make sure these landing aids are in place,” Meggison said.
Meggison expressed gross disappointment and displeasure at the deplorable state of navigational aids at airports around the country which he said makes flying in the Nigerian airspace virtually impossible during the harmattan season thereby increasing the sufferings of passengers and disrupting their plans for the yuletide season due to flight cancellations.
He noted that exactly forty eight years on December 28, 1968, the first aircraft operated at CAT lll and landed in zero visibility at Heathrow airport, yet Nigeria is unable to land aircraft with visibility of about 800m.
He disclosed that most international and local flights had to be diverted to Cotounu which he said was rather unfortunate.
The issue of the harmattan haze is a yearly seasonal occurrence as Nigeria has mainly Raining (Thunderstorms) and Dry Seasons (Harmattan).
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