Tension in NAMA over missing plane - As FG threatens top shots

Gboyega Adeoye, Lagos - 14.05.2008

There was tension at the headquarters of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) on Tuesday over alleged move by the Presidency to arrest some of its top shots for interrogation over the missing Beechcraft 1900D.

The aircraft, belonging to Wings Aviation, was declared missing since March 15, 2008 and efforts towards its recovery had proved abortive since.

A presidential committee set up recently, it was learnt, had indicted some top officials of NAMA for complicity over the mystery surrounding the whereabouts of the aircraft.

As at press time, all top management staff of NAMA were not around and their whereabouts seemed unknown to the workers.

Agitated workers were seen discussing the matter at the headquarters of the agency.

It will be recalled that authorities at the aviation sector, the Ministry of Aviation inclusive, had earlier declared on the heel of the incident that the debris of the aircraft had been found with all three crew members on board found dead.

An Air Traffic Controller (ATC), who spoke with the Nigerian Tribune on condition of anonymity, said the report from the presidential committee to the effect that the voice recorder of the conversation between the pilot and the control tower was doctored was misleading.

Meanwhile, aviation workers have appealed to the Commissioner of Police, Airport Command, Lagos State, to caution against action that may attract industrial disharmony.

The call was made on the heels of lingering agitation by a section of workers at the Skypower Aviation Handling Company Limited (SAHCOL) who were recently disengaged.

About 340 workers of the ground handling company were disengaged last week by the management of SAHCOL.

The workers were those that were seconded to the handling company from the sister company, the moribund Nigeria’s flag carrier, the Nigeria Airways.