Between ATCs’ Professionalism And Patriotism

Air Traffic Controllers
(ATCs) recently demanded for improvement in working facilities and better welfare package for members.
The ATCs through their umbrella body, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) issued a statement and notified the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) of their plan to embark on strike and therefore shutdown the airspace.
Since the union issued the statement, it has caused serious panic among local and international airlines that operate in Nigeria, with some planning to cancel their flights to Lagos and other international airports in the country.
The members of NATCA are caught in the web of professionalism and patriotism to work like their counterparts all over the world or swallow the bitter pill of continuous silence by working with no modern facilities in this century.
ATC members alleged recently that Nigeria does not have functional landing aids and that the Total Radar Coverage of Nigeria (TRACON), had broken down. This statement had sent different signals to stakeholders operators and users depending on which divide one belongs.
Honestly, important issues such as this should be given the attention they deserve especially as the nation had witnessed aircrashes which memories are still fresh in our heads. Relevant agencies and even national lawmakers should carry out their oversight functions by investigating the veracity of the Air Traffic Controllers, claim of broken-down radar coverage.
The nation cannot afford to allow another air accident because of frivolous excuses, even as the pain being inflicted by the Boko Haram insurgency is taking a horrendous toll on Nigerians, particularly those in the North East of the country.
Industry stakeholders are divided along the lines of professionalism and patriotism as some have disparaged the controllers, describing their action as an act of sabotage. They also accuse them of denigrating the industry because they want the NAMA management to concede to their demands.
President of the Association of Foreign Airlines and Representatives in Nigeria (AFARN), Mr Kingsley Nwokoma, said that he received many calls from international cargo airlines that were billed to come to the country because the report that  the airspace would be shut down left them confused and they urgently wanted clarification.
Nwokoma said such report damages the image of the country, especially as TRACON was concerned with safety which is a critical equipment, so if there is any report that it was not in good working condition such could even make some airlines to stop coming to Nigeria.
According to him, “there were serious concerns because if the airspace was going to be shut, it would adversely affect these airlines operating in Nigeria.
Therefore, they called to ascertain what the situation was and we told them that it was an internal thing; that it would not generate to the closure of the airspace. They demanded for regular feedback so that they would not be caught unawares.
He equally indicated that NAMA management and the ATCs should be able to reach amicable resolution to their industrial disputes observing that it smacked of unpatriotism when such dispute was used to threaten and misinform the world about safety in the nation’s airspace.
The AFARN President further noted that what happened damaged the image of the country. They should be able to manage the information better and avoid a mockery of Nigeria.
The Director of Consumer Protection Directorate of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA),  Alhaji Adamu Abdullahi, also joined in the condemnation of the union’s action, reiterating that it was against the interest of Nigeria, particularly overseas.
In the words of Abdullahi, “by and large such an issue is not good for the image of the country. Due to the fact that if you don’t have peace in the industry, then it means there is nothing to be desired. If  Total Radar coverage of Nigeria as the ATC’s claim is not working, they should have internal mechanism of solving the problem.”
The Consumer Protection Director picked holes in the entire epidode by questioning what the ATCs had done as there are internal avenues to get the attention of management and further report to the Minister of Aviation for intervention through their union.
Another industry player, Kunle Ojo, said threatening to go on strike required that certain steps had been followed without positive response.
Obviously, there are rules of engagement in going on strike and I guess all unions take that into consideration.
He expressed happiness that the issues were resolved strike and averted, thereby saving the nation the embarrassment from the international community.
Abdullahi remarked thus, “but then we have to look inwards and final out ways of resolving issues at our own levels before it escalates into strike by being proactive and not reactive in our approaches.”
A travel expert, Mr Ikechi Uko who said he was also contacted by foreign organisations over threat to shut down the airspace by the controllers cautioned that labour disputes should be settled by concerned agencies whom he said needed not drag the image of the country down because of the narrow interest of some people.
“I didn’t know about the planned industrial strike until I was called from overseas to enquire whether the airspace would actually be shut down.
It looked like a play but when I browsed the internet, I read the threat. First, it is not within the powers of the controllers to shut down the airspace but people may believe it. It is really a bad signal to our industry.
People should not play with what God has given to them. Aviation is a global business,” Uko said.
An, air traveller with a chartered private flight  who does not want his name in print told The Tide Aviation correspondent to investigate an alleged narrow escape from air mishap at the Port Harcourt International Airport, when the control mistakenly cleared two aircraft to land at the same time.
However, the investigation hit a brick wall as the authorities and agencies expected to know, denied knowledge of any such incident at the airport, and this was compounded by the fact that the sources could not give more information but thank God for averting the calamity.
An official of the National Union of Air Travellers Employees (NUATE), said although the image of Nigeria was at stake the ATCs must have tried severally to get the attention of the authorities over their plight since government listens only when workers commence strike. He cited the case of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), health workers and the judiciary workers among others.