Synagogue: Don’t link collapse to air traffic – Air Traffic Controllers

From Suleiman Idris in Kano

The President of the Nigerian Air Traffic Controllers’ Association, NATCA, Victor Eyaru, has described as unacceptable the claim by the Synagogue church located in Ikotun, in Lagos, that the building collapsed moments after a mysterious aircraft hovered around it while undergoing construction.

The association also said it fully identifies with the calls for the speedy action in the establishment of a National Carrier for Nigeria, being the most populous nation in Africa, to further boost the country’s economy.

A section of the Synagogue Church Building, which was a guest house, located within the church premises around Ikotun-Egbe area of Lagos State, collapsed completely to the ground on Friday, 12th of September, 2014.

Eyaru, in his address at the 43rd annual general meeting of NATCA in Kano said the collapse should not be linked to any air traffic and the misinformation to the public stopped forthwith.

He said “We want to state categorically that where the church is located is not part of either restricted or prohibited airspace where air traffic cannot take place”.

“The aircraft in question was undertaking normal aviation practice in accordance to prescribed procedures and any link to the building collapse is absurd, laughable and unacceptable”.

With the theme: “Human capacity building in the aviation industry as a remedy to air disaster”, Eyaru said capacity building in the industry is very much desirable because it is based on advance science and technology.

He said the aspiration of the country to commence the implementation of Performance Based Navigation (PBN) within the nation’s airspace is highly commended as it will launch Nigeria into the next generation of satellite based air navigation.

NATCA, in its communiqué said the establishment of a national carrier will reduce capital flight, provide more jobs in the sector and give Nigeria a befitting place, identified in global air transport.