NAMA to improve safety of runway ahead of ICAO audit

Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) is set to organise a two-day workshop targeted at improving safety of air navigation within the runway and associated airside facilities at the airports.

Speaking on the coming event, the Managing Director of NAMA, Engr. Ibrahim Abdulsalam noted that the workshop is expected to eventually “culminate into the inauguration of runway safety teams for Abuja, Kano and Port Harcourt airports in compliance with ICAO mandate on the establishment of such teams at all international airports.’’ He stressed that “the agency took the initiative to facilitate this program because the responsibility for the safety of aircraft landing and taking off on the runway as well as surface movement of aircraft rests with NAMA.”

Abdulsalam also revealed that as an ICAO requirement, the runway safety workshop would further prepare the nation for the ICAO Universal Safety Oversight Audit slated for March 2016.
He expressed optimism that as fallout of the workshop, Nigeria would have developed the required expertise to be able to ensure collaborative effort among stakeholders responsible for runway safety at the four major airports in the country.

Also speaking on the workshop, the Acting General Manager, Public Affairs, NAMA, Olajumoke Adetona is in collaboration with Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB), and the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NIMET) and in conjunction with International Civil Aviation Organisation(ICAO), Airport Council International (ACI) and International Air Transport Association (IATA).

Olajumoke explained that the gathering with the title, “Runway Safety Go Team: Runway Incursion, Excursion and Confusion” would hold between the January 18 and 19, 2016 in Lagos.
She explained that it would involve paper presentations from international aviation experts from ICAO, IATA and ACI, on the above topic as well as the structure and terms of reference of runway safety teams, hazard identification, risk assessment and mitigation.

The NAMA image maker added that the runway safety workshop is also expected to involve practical assessment of the airside including the runway and associated facilities and thereafter, a report shall be issued at the end of deliberations.

She said that the establishment of runway safety teams is a critical aspect of aviation safety contained in ICAO Resolution A37-6 which makes it a requirement for runway safety teams to be established at all airports in the AFI region.

The responsibility of the runway safety teams whose membership cuts across aviation agencies, airlines and security agencies include regularly assessing runways, taxiways, aprons and associated facilities to ensure that identified or potential hazards are promptly mitigated.