NAMA Boosts Capacity With 21 Traffic Controllers

                           


Our correspondent reports that NAMA is investing heavily on the training and retraining of personnel.
The Nigerian Airspace Management Authority (NAMA) is gradually narrowing the gap created by retiring controllers as a group of 17 is being expected to graduate at the college next month. Speaking at the graduation ceremony of the Cadets, managing director of the agency, Ibrahim Abdulsalam, charged the remaining students to justify the huge investment on their training by remaining committed and dedicated to duty in the interest of safety of Nigerian airspace.

Abdulsalam noted that as part of the transformation of the aviation sector, resulting in the remodeling of airports and the deployment of sophisticated communication, navigation, surveillance and air traffic management infrastructure, among others, across the country, NAMA is investing on the training and retraining of personnel, particularly the critical safety manpower resources, in order to ensure the safe, effective, economic and efficient utilization of these equipment and to keep pace with the dynamics of new technology.
According to him, “the increasing demand for air traffic services over the years, occasioned by the rapid growth in population and the establishment of state and privately owned airports nationwide vis-a-vis the high turnover of critical manpower arising from retirements and deaths prompted the agency to resort to contracting retired air traffic controllers and air traffic engineers as a short-term remedy.” While commending the graduating students for their perseverance and hard work, Abdulsalam also gave kudos to the management of NCAT for the tremendous support and co-operation accorded the students while the course lasted.
The Rector of NCAT, Capt. Samuel Caulcrick, in his address, noted that the high academic standard and rigorous training offered by the institution stands it out as a centre of excellence and one of the best in the world. He charged the graduating students to be worthy ambassadors of NCAT by impacting positively to the growth of the nation’s aviation industry.
It will be recalled that in its determination to bridge the manpower gap in ATC services, NAMA in 2012 recruited 50 ATC cadets with batch AC 57 and 58 resuming at NCAT in February, 2013, while AC59 resumed in July, same year.
Earlier, Abdulsalam, accompanied by a top management delegation including the Director of Human Resources, Dr Uwem Akangson and the Ag. Director of Operations, Mr Edward Ogedegbe, was led on an inspection tour of facilities within the college.