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Uche Usim, and Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
The House of Representatives, yesterday, mandated its Committee on Aviation to investigate the non-installation of Instrument Landing System (ILS) and other navigational equipment in airports across the country.
The House equally mandated the committee to quiz the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) over the absence of the ILS at airports nationwide.
This followed the adoption of a motion sponsored by Wale Raji, at yesterday’s session on the “urgent need to complete the installation and upgrade of landing rquipment at the nation’s airports to enhance safety of our airspace” ,
Raji, in his lead debate, expressed concern that the non-installation of the ILS has led to the diversion of several Nigeria-bound flights to neighbouring countries.
The lawmaker said it was unfortunate that despite a N7.8 billion budgetary provision for the procurement and installation of modern landing equipment in seven airports in the country, the vital equipment are still lacking at the airodromes.
According to him, “over the years there has been huge clamours from stakeholders in the aviation sector and other well-meaning Nigerians on the need for the Federal Government to adequately equip and upgrade the nation’s airports with modern landing equipment from the current Category 1 and 2 in use in Nigeria to Category 3 ILS.
“These agitations were predicated on the high number of delayed and cancelled flights during the harmattan season and inclement weather conditions which make landing and takeoff of aircrafts very difficult or near impossible.
“On account of poor visibility, some foreign airlines are now diverting their international flights into Accra, Ghana and N’djamena, Chad as well as other neighboring countries with its attendant negative consequences.”
In his contribution, the deputy minority leader, Toby Okechukwu, said the relevant agencies responsible for the airports should be held liable for dereliction of duty.
“The ILS is there and we have been talking about calibration for the last three months. Nobody is doing their job.
“The committee should identify those responsible for these lapses, investigate and report back to the House for further action,” Okechukwu stated.
Meanwhile Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed on Tuesday, described as unnecesary, ongoing debate over flightdiversion to Ghana and other West African Countries by some international airlines operating in Nigeria as the country has navigational equipment that meet global standards.
The Minister in a statement from his Ministry headlined “Facts About The Weather-Disrupted International Flights At MMA, Lagos” said the standard navigational equipment at the MMA is a Category II Instrument Landing System (CAT II ILS), that most airports, including those in advanced countries, have.
The statement added that the federal government, in its commitment to passenger security and safety, decided to upgrade key airports in the country to CAT III ILS, which allows flights even in zero visibility, unlike CAT II ILS where pilots can only land with minimum of 800m visibility.
“The CAT III ILS has been installed in Lagos and Abuja, in the first phase. Both were also calibrated. Pending are CAT III ILS for Kano, Port Harcourt, Asaba, etc
“Nigeria, for the first time in a long time, acquired a calibration plane to facilitate easy calibration of the navigational equipment and also stop the practice whereby a calibration plane is hired for $500k each time.
“The CAT III ILS in Abuja is working perfectly. But after calibration, some inaccurate readings were noticed in the CAT III ILS at runway 18R (for international flights) at the MMA.
