BY OLAPEJU OLUBI
The Managing Director of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) Engineer Ahmed Umar Farouk has charged general managers in the agency to ensure that NAMA’s processes and procedures maintain optimal standards to keep pace with those of air navigation service providers (ANSPs) globally.
Engineer Farouk noted that, this could be attained through enhanced productivity, efficient service delivery and innovation.
The NAMA boss who spoke while declaring open the 2024 General Managers’ Retreat which held in Keffi, Nassarawa State said this charge became imperative given that the burden of implementation of the strategic plan of the agency rested squarely on the shoulders of general managers as they “are the trigger point to drive and achieve NAMA’s mission statement.’’
Represented at the event by the Director of Air Traffic Services, Mr John Tayo, Farouk maintained that general managers as the link between staff and management played a crucial function in the policy making process of the agency through invaluable advice and feedback from the workforce, stressing that that in recognition of this onerous duty, management was “making serious efforts to provide the right enabling work environment as well as incentives to the general managers to ensure their duties are discharged seamlessly and efficiently.”
He expressed confidence that “these incentives would further motivate you towards the achievement of the agency’s set goals and further ensure that you are accorded the status befitting of your positions as industry best practice dictates.”
The NAMA helmsman also enjoined managers to remain resilient in the face of daunting challenges.
“I believe you are capable of matching your strength with the challenges ahead and I believe that rising from this meeting, you will chat a new course for NAMA and aviation industry in general,” Farouk said.
Earlier in her remarks, the chairperson of NAMA general managers’ forum, Dr Joy Umeh appreciated NAMA management for the “remarkable steps taken to ensure improved working conditions for general managers and the generality of the workforce,” noting that “this move has greatly improved our operations and created a conducive environment for effective coordination and excellence.”
Dr Umeh also enjoined her colleagues to “explore the advantages of collaboration, synergy and networking among the departments as this would that foster growth, harmony and development within the system.”
This year’s retreat with the title: Effective Leadership & Resource Management in the Provision of Air Navigation Services in a Depressed Economy attracted top management staff of the agency and featured presentation of papers by academics and resource persons as well as panel discussions on the way forward for the agency in a challenging economy.
