Debtor airlines: NAMA not to ground airlines

• Airlines commence payment-NAMA boss

By Chukwuemeke Iwelunmo

The managing director of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) Capt Fola Akinkuotu says the agency has no intention to ground debtor airlines to avoid inflicting more hardship on the travelling public as debtor airlines have commenced payment.

Capt Akinkuotu who made this known in an interview in his office in Lagos, said the agency did not implement its Pay As You Go policy which was earlier proposed as a result of huge debts owed the agency by airlines.

Akinkuotu explained that the airlines have not met with NAMA aside from meetings held between the new executives of Airline Operators of Nigeria and sister agencies in the industry, it was resolved that airlines were ready and eager to pay their debts and not to owe further debts.

He said NAMA was not interested in shutting down the airlines so that they can operate and pay their outstanding bills.

“We can’t slow down aviation especially with the current economic situation on ground. If we do that, the airlines will suffer and cause inconveniences to passengers. How will they pay if they don’t operate,” he said.

On preparation towards seamless flight operations, the Chief executive officer of NAMA said there will be seamless operations especially during the harmattan period as necessary equipment have been installed and calibrated at various airports for easy take off and landing.

He added that though major airports have been calibrated, calibration according to him remained a continuous thing.

Akinkuotu said the agency will do more of Performance Base Navigation approaches to enhance all flight activities adding that NAMA does not envisage any problem.

The NAMA boss said the agency was prepared for the upsurge in passengers’ traffic during the yuletide stressing that this was why NAMA was in business to cater for the airlines.

On the challenges of the agency’s movement to Abuja, Akinkuotu, said only change was constant, adding that there were the initial challenges as there was no permanent structure before the directive to move.

He revealed that the agency had acquired a place and has started developing the place saying staff will be moved immediately it was completed.

Akinkuotu acknowledged the effect of technology which has aided the movement as meetings were held through virtual and zoom.