Association canvasses replacement of ageing facilities at airports

NATIONAL Air Traffic Communicators Association of Nigeria, has decried the ageing equipment in the nation's airports and called for their replacement.The association also called for the proper enhancement and funding of the search and rescue department of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), that could serve as a source of revenue for the agency.Speaking recently with journalists at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, in Lagos, the association's President, Philip Aderosoye, urged the Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah, to come out with a road map that will provide direction and long lasting effect, in the aviation sector, to enhance development.According to him, 'there must be a road map that will be of long lasting effect, that will develop this industry and the minister should look at the parastatals on how to get energetic and patriotic men that will man them and make the ministry more professional.'Commending the remodeling exercise of the government, Aderosoye said it was long over due but regretted that past ministers have failed to follow the airports master plan on ground to expand on the original plan of the Murtala Mohammed Airport.While urging that the aviation minister should be given the chance in her transformation bid, the President criticised the construction of airports by various state governments, describing it as politically motivated and unreasonable.His words: 'It is too political, stupid and does not bring development. It is supposed to be a source of revenue to any government. The money that the state governments are using to maintain these unviable airports ought to have been diverted for development that will benefit the people.'Also, he called for the enhancement of security across the nation's airports, with focus on recruitment of aviation security personnel to beef up the manpower and the provision of adequate operational vehicles, stressing that available gadgets for monitoring were only limited to Abuja and Lagos.
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