Gov Bala assures to resolve challenges at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Airport

… meets aviation chiefs, moves to resolve longstanding Bauchi airport challenge

Bauchi State Governor, Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, has assured that his administration will do everything possible to resolve the long-standing challenge at the Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa International Airport, Bauchi (SATBIA), militating against its smooth operations.

Consequently, the Governor, on Thursday, met with the Director-General/CEO of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), Prof. Charles Anosike, and the Managing Director of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Engr. Umar Ahmed Farouk, at the Governor’s Lodge in Abuja.

The discussions, during the meeting, centred on resolving every long-standing challenge at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Airport, particularly the absence of a complete Instrument Landing System (ILS), which has made landings difficult for Pilots, particularly in poor visibility.

In his intervention, Bala Mohammed had earlier directed the repair of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Airport localizer, which in turn made the existing VOR functional.

This improvement recently drew public commendation from a Rano Airplane Pilot, who announced during a flight to Abuja that the repairs had made flying into Bauchi safer and more pleasurable.

The Captain, however, appealed for the completion of the ILS system through the installation of a functional Glide Path (GP).

The Governor reached an understanding with both NiMet and NAMA to fast-track the procurement of the remaining ILS components.

This decisive step is expected to permanently resolve the airport’s navigation challenges and enhance safety for air travellers.

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