THE Management of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has declared that the country’s airspace shall remain open to flight operations into and out of Nigeria despite the rescheduled presidential and other general elections. The agency, therefore, urged all airline operators and the travelling public with other service providers who are dependent on the agency’s services to go ahead with their businesses as usual ahead of the new election dates. In a statement made available on behalf of the agency by its image maker, Khalid Emele, the agency attributed the latest position to the confusion that confronted flight operations during the postponed presidential election on Saturday, February 16, 2019. NAMA in the statement “reassured all airspace users and the general public that the Nigerian airspace shall remain open for all airspace users before, during and after the rescheduled 2019 general elections.”The agency added that it had put in place appropriate contingency measures to ensure safe flight operations within the period, as well as a possible extension of operational hours of any domestic airport when the need arises. The agency added that in line with the directive of the Minister of State for Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika had earlier ensured a 24-hour operation at all Nigerian airports on Friday 15th February 2019 to facilitate the transportation of INEC materials nationwide.

Source: Nigerian Tribune February 17, 2019 15:46 UTC