Insecurity stalls N400m airspace project

LIKE other sectors of the economy, the worsening security situation caused by the spate of bombings and attacks has affected the aviation sector.One of the projects hit by the development is the over N4OO million Very High Frequency (VHF) radio coverage of Nigeria initiated by the Federal Government.It was learnt that foreign experts expected in Nigeria to execute the project are not prepared to do so now.A source at the Ministry of Aviation told The Guardian that the inability of the government to integrate the final phase of the VHF project might not be unconnected with the refusal of the foreign engineers to come to the country.VHF is the radio frequencyrange from 30 MHzto 300 MHz. Frequencies below VHF are denoted as High Frequency(HF) and the next higher frequencies are classified as Ultra HighFrequency (UHF).The project, when completed, would be integrated with the Total Radar Coverage of Nigeria (TRACON) to enhance safety in the country's airspace.The contractor, Deo-Macro Limited, had acquired visas and permits for the German and French engineers on four occasions only for them to refuse to come to the country because of the current security challenges.Last week's killing of Briton and Italian engineers, Chris McManus and Franco Lamolinara, has reportedly dampened the zeal of the engineers to come to the country and synchronise the VHF.The duo were working for an Italian firm, Stabilini Visinoni in Birnin Kebbi, when they were kidnapped on May 12, 2011.The ministry officials said the engineers are waiting till when the security situation would improve.He said that the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NIMET) and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) might be affected as both have works being carried out by foreign engineers.It would be recalled that a similar situation played out during the days of the Niger Delta agitation when Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) incurred extra costs to provide more security for the foreign engineers working on the TRACON project in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Click here to read full news..