Flight diversions are in the interest of safety, says NAMA

Many inbound international flights to Nigeria have been diverted to neighbouring countries recently due to inclement weather conditions posed by the “Harmattan”.

And the Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has been in the centre of criticism for failed navigational aids.

In reaction, the agency has said flight diversions necessitated by inclement weather were imperative and done in the interest of safety.

The agency also clarified that navigational aids at the nation’s airports were not bad as being portrayed in the news media but that some were newly installed and undergoing calibration while others were still in the process of installation.  

A statement signed by the General Manager, Public Affairs, NAMA, Khalid Emele, provides details of the equipment upgrade and the agency’s position on flight diversions:

“The Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has noted with concern, the inability of some international flights to land at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, largely due to issues of inclement weather and company minimas of affected airlines.

“Our position is that such diversions are in the interest of safety.

“The facts on record, however, are as follows:  Lagos has two runways- 18 Right and 18 Left. The Doppler Very High Omni-Directional Radio Range (DVOR) and the Distance Measuring Equipment (DME) at the airport have successfully been calibrated and passed 100%.

“The localizer (a component of the Instrument Landing System) responsible for horizontal guidance at runway 18 Left has also passed 100% calibration while the glide slope (which is another component of the Instrument Landing System that provides vertical guidance) is undergoing routine maintenance and by tomorrow (12/02/2020), the maintenance will be concluded and the equipment shall be fully on air.

“On Runway 18 Right, there is Category 3 ILS which is still undergoing installation. Presently, Selex Systems, the contractors are working on the realignment of its parameters, preparatory to the calibration and commissioning of the equipment in the shortest possible time. 

“Meanwhile the agency hereby wishes to reassure airspace users and the general public that the Nigerian Airspace remains safe for seamless and economic air travel and regret any inconveniences caused.”