Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has expressed concern over challenges faced by airlines and passengers in the past few days, due to reduced flight visibility at the airports.

NAMA’s Acting Managing Director, Mr Emma Anasi, made the observation in a statement issued and made available to Economic Confidential.

Anasi said that the present weather condition was caused by the prevailing harmattan dust haze, which had limited operations into most airports.

According to him, the agency is not unmindful of the economic losses to airlines, passengers and other airport stakeholders.
He, however, said that the primary responsibility of NAMA was to ensure the safety of lives and properties.

“Our primary responsibility is to ensure that all flight operations are in compliance with minimum state weather conditions, as published by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) for each airport.

“It is important to emphasise that NAMA had earlier taken appropriate measures, to ensure the availability and reliability of air navigation facilities at all airports,” he said.

Anasi said that while the current severe weather conditions were expected to improve within a few days, NAMA, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Transportation, had embarked on the upgrading of existing facilities.

He said that the facility upgrade would include the deployment of new communication, navigation, surveillance and air traffic management systems, to further enhance capacity, safety, efficiency and economy of flight operations.

The NAMA chief, therefore, sympathised with all Nigerians who had suffered losses or inconveniences as a result of flight delays and cancellations.