By Paul Ukpabio

The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) is in the news again. This time agency workers are at loggerhead over a pay rise.

Air traffic engineers are not smiling! They have come together under the body, the National Association of Air Traffic Engineers (NAAE) to take this matter up with the management of NAMA over pay disparity.

According to a signed notice to all NAAE chapters by its Secretary-General, Ishaya Idris Akaaba, “subject to the one week notice of commencement of industrial action issued to NAMA management on January 4, 2022, all NAAE chapters are reminded to immediately organize emergency meetings to sensitize and mobilize members in line with the issues of great concern discussed at the emergency NAAE NEC meeting,” he said.

The Secretary-General stated that the failure of NAMA management to holistically and expediently address their demands would mean that they will act.

Their demands include a proposed Air traffic Safety Electronics Personnel (ATSEP) professional allowances including 4th and 5th ratings, proposed ATSEP radiation allowance, placing all ATSEPs on customized NAMA NHIS gold plan, and proposed increase of remunerations of ATSEPs on contract.

The grouse of the engineers, ThisNigeria learned, is said to also be over the decision of the management of NAMA to raise the conditions of service of air traffic controllers who have inundated NAMA with the precarious condition under which they operate.

Recall that an air traffic controller lost his life late last year which made the management of the agency set up a negotiation committee to address their condition.

The reported death galvanized the Managing Director of NAMA, Capt Fola Akinkuotu, to approve some changes, among which was that air traffic controller deployed from other departments to be placed on grade level (GL 12) effective from the date of their ratings with immediate effect.

Other ATCOs that recently acquired their A and B ratings are to be promoted to GL.10 with immediate effect from the date of their ratings while awaiting the release of the ATC scheme of service which will among other things secure their advancement to GL 12.

The annual aeromedical allowance for air traffic controllers has been increased from #200,000 to #500,000 with effect from January 2022. Monthly remuneration of air traffic controllers who are on the contract has been increased from the present #400,000 to #580,000 resulting from the inclusion of the A&B rating allowance, with effect from January 2022.

And also approved that all ATCOs are to be registered on the gold plan of the customized NAMA NHIS which is to be implemented soonest.

NAMA management also concluded plans to engage the services of a specialist to evaluate and define the type and level of risks or hazards that controllers and other technical staff are exposed to consider an appropriate allowance as well as mitigation methods. This, NAMA noted is to be done in conjunction with the NATCAs’ committee.

Adebanjo, Clark, Amaechi, Yakassai at their sunset by Eric Teniola

The management then also concluded plans to facilitate the expeditious approval and release of the adjusted ATC scheme of service as well as NAMA staff conditions of service without any further delay and made operational vehicles immediately reassigned, most especially for Lagos, Port-Harcourt, and Abuja.

In a swift move also, NAMA has agreed to address and implement the report as it relates to the controllers’ working environment.