NAMA moves to close safety gaps as ICAO audits Nigeria

In preparation for the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme (USOAP) expected to commence by the end of the month, the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has conducted validation flights of Instrument Flight Procedures at all the international airports in the country to ensure compliance with ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs).

The agency has also completed the calibration of navigational aids at major airports in the country and commissioned newly installed ones in Maiduguri and Minna airports while closing several safety critical gaps in the nation’s airspace ahead of the audit.

Daily Trust reports that the ICAO’s USOAP focuses on a state’s capability in providing safety oversight by assessing whether the state has implemented the critical elements (CEs) of a safety oversight system effectively and consistently.

This enables the state to ensure the implementation of ICAO’s safety-related Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) and associated procedures and guidance material with a view to improving aviation safety.

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All aviation agencies led by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) had commenced preparations to ensure the success of the audit programme.

The Managing Director of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Engr Tayib Odunowo who spoke at the weekend said all required documents like Aeronautical Information Publications (AIP), Operation Manuals, MOUs with other agencies including military and Service Level Agreements (SLAs) have been reviewed and forwarded to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) for approval.

Odunowo also expressed satisfaction with the preparedness and compliance level of the agency ahead of the audit.

The NAMA MD who earlier inspected navigational aids at the Mallam Aminu Kano Airport, Kano; Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, noted that all identified gaps in the safety-critical and operational areas were being closed.

The facilities inspected included the Total Radar Coverage of Nigeria (TRACON) sites, control towers, mobile control towers, Air Traffic Control 3-D Tower Simulator at Centrex Lagos, as well as administrative offices.