Capt. Fola Akinkuotu
The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has taken delivery of another consignment of critical spare parts required for the continuous service and operation of the Total Radar Coverage of Nigeria (TRACON).
The new arrival, again, reinforces confidence that the surveillance network is serviceable and all nine TRACON installations could be easily restored in case of downtime.
The consignment, which was cleared at the Apapa port in Lagos from Thales Group, in France include MES1 1400A power supply modules, control units and other critical units.
Managing Director of NAMA, Capt. Fola Akinkuotu, said the relationship between NAMA and the equipment manufacturer, Thales, had never been frosty as some media reports would have it.
“In fact, it has been very cordial and we are poised to continue to keep it that way. You will recall that we cleared some consignments of spare parts for TRACON last year from the same Thales,” Akinkuotu said.
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He disclosed that apart from the spares already received, another consignment of spares has landed Apapa port and was being cleared, while other consignments are already being shipped to Nigeria from France. He said payment had already been made for ordered consignments.
The NAMA boss also revealed that as part of efforts to keep pace with global best practices, TRACON would in a few months’ time undergo a total reconditioning process that would ensure that the entire system attains the acceptable reliability level specified by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).
He described this process as “a sort of turn-around-maintenance”, which is to be carried out by the equipment manufacturer, Thales Group.
Akinkuotu said the acquisition of spares for TRACON is in line with the agency’s decision to be proactive in maintaining the nation’s radar facility.
“Availability of spares would ensure that parts of the radar equipment would be readily available whenever and wherever they are needed. There are some that would immediately be used for replacement while others will be kept in the warehouse pending when they will be needed and I can assure you that NAMA engineers have the capacity to undertake the maintenance of this facility as they have always done in the past,” Akinkuotu said.
