he Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has inaugurated 85-member local Search and Rescues Committee toward mock exercise on volcanic eruption for the recertification of Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja.
The NAMA Managing Director, Capt. Fola Akinkuotu, said at inauguration on Wednesday, in Abuja that the committee, who were stakeholders from several Ministries, Departments and Agencies, would synergise toward successful mock exercise.
Akinkuotu, who was represented by the NAMA Director of Operations, Mr Mathew Pawajok , said the committee members were staff of National Hospital Abuja, University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, NAMA, AIB, NEMA, NiMet, DSS, FAAN, NSCDC among others.
According to him, the proposed mock exercise is in compliance with requirements of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).
Contributing, the NAMA General Manager at NAIA, Mr Robinson Baazo, said that nation wanted to practice how to handle volcanic eruptions and how it would affect aviation basically.
According to him, there was volcanic eruption in neighboring Cameroon some years ago.
“Not too long ago, there was volcanic eruption in Congo Democratic Republic at Kinshasa; about three weeks ago, there was volcanic eruption at La Palma in Spain.
“Basically, volcanic eruptions affect aviation tremendously when there is earth eruption in the air,’’ he said.
Mr Macel Onwuakpe, Search and Rescue Mission Coordinator, at the airport said that ICAO normally carried out career audits on airports within their contracting states every five years.
He added that ICAO could no longer wait for five years more before conducting its inspection.
“ICAO conducts its `Continuous Validation Monitoring’ in less than two years, even in less than a year interval.
“Nigeria has never conducted mock exercise or mock drill on volcanic ash eruptions and it has decided to close that gap in 2021 by organising a mock volcanic ash eruption exercise,’’ he said.
“The workshops and stakeholders meeting is to create awareness and sensitize people about the impact of volcanic ash eruptions on aviation itself,’’ Onwuakpe said.
Speaking, Mr Ishiyaku Ibrahim from Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), described volcanic ash as a mixture or combination of rock particles, minerals, gaseous substances and glass particles expelled from a volcano during a volcanic eruption.
According to him, deep within the Earth is so hot that some rocks slowly melt and become a thick flowing substance called magma.
“Since it is lighter than the solid rock around it, magma rises and collects in magma chambers. Eventually, some of the magma pushes through vents and fissures to the Earth’s surface leading to an eruption.
“Magma that has erupted is called lava. Volcanoes erupt when molten rock called magma rises to the surface. Magma is formed when the earth’s mantle melts. Magma forms deep in the Earth’s crust and in the upper parts of the mantle.
“ In these areas, temperature and pressure are very high. Changes in pressure and temperature can cause magma to form. Melting may happen where tectonic plates are pulling apart or where one plate is pushed down under another.
“Magma is lighter than rock, so it rises towards the Earth’s surface. As the magma rises, bubbles of gas form inside it. Runny magma erupts through openings or vents in the earth,“ he explained.
Also speaking, Mr Tunde Yahaya from Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria, said that the event would enable aviation stakeholders to know their roles and respond positively to volcanic ash emergency in accordance with the ICAO Documents.
According to him, ICAO set up the International Airways Volcanic Watch (IAVW) to provide near-real-time information on the largest possible number of volcanic events that affect aviation.
“State Volcanic Observatories (SVO) monitor active or potentially active volcanoes and provide information to Area Control Centre (ACC), Metrological Watch Office (MWO),Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre VAAC, “ he said.
