THE Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has been lauded for effectively enhancing the safety of air travel within the nation’s airspace. Imo State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha who made these remarks at the New Imo Concorde Hotel, venue of the recently concluded Airspace Managers’ Forum, which held in Owerri, the Imo State capital, expressed delight that through its commitment to excellent service delivery, NAMA has attracted a lot of goodwill to the country. “Because of the strategic role played by the agency, I can simply define Aviation as NAMA and NAMA as Aviation,” the Imo helmsman said. Okorocha who was once a Board Chairman of the agency however lamented that due to the invisible but critical nature of its services, “NAMA does all the work, yet it is the least recognized in the system.” He revealed that as part of efforts to fast-track the takeoff of Imo International Cargo Airport in Owerri in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Transportation, the state government recently awarded contracts for the construction of some airport structures including a perimeter fence round the facility to forestall security breaches along the runway. Earlier in an address, the Ag. Managing Director of NAMA, Engr. Emma Anasi said “the essence of the quarterly Airspace Managers’ forum was for top echelon of the agency including Airspace Managers across the nation’s airports to brainstorm on critical issues of civil aviation and also design a road map for enhancing safety of air navigation in the country.” Anasi expressed gratitude to Governor Okorocha for extending a 33KVA line to the airport which he hoped will reduce the agency’s burden of running its navigational aids permanently on generators, even as he solicited the governor’s support in the provision of mobility to ensure prompt response to pilot requests and also ease operational logistics around the airport.
