Sirika expresses commitment to ensuring safety, security of airports Safety

Details

Written by Super User

Minister of State for Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika, has expressed the Federal Government’s commitment to ensuring safety and security of the nation’s airport for efficient air transportation in Nigeria.

Sirika gave the assurance when the Managing Director, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mr Saleh Dunoma, presented to him, the award of excellence received from Airports Council International (ACI), on Friday in Abuja.

The Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, had been awarded ``the Best Improvement in Safety Award” by ACI in Abidjan in October.

Also presented to the minister by Dunoma is the Certificate of recognition by International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) of FAAN as ICAO Aviation Security Training Centre.

He said that safety and security as well as the comfort of passengers were the cardinal objective of President Muhammadu Buhari’s government.

``When I was posted to this duty post we were very clear as to our mandate that every single thing would be to improve the safety and security and the facilitation of passengers with a lot of comfort and ease and efficient air transportation has been our goal.

"I am more than humble by these awards coming one after another from these international organisations, ICAO and ACI and you also recall a tremendous amount of work has been done in the Area of safety and security."

"The most notable is when the airport of Abuja was unsafe for operations and we had to close it for repairs which was is very critical to the movement of air transportation and by the grace of God, we were able to deliver that procurement,’’ he said.

Sirika assured that the desire of the government was to make sure that the it leaves the nation’s aviation industry better than it met it.

According to him, a lot of achievements had been recorded in the sector because we are no longer where we used to be because different results especially in safety and security.

He however commended the FAAN management for the hard work towards achieving the feat and assured that the government would continue to give the authority the needed support.

Earlier, FAAN MD, said the award was a result of the minister’s leadership guidance and encouragement, adding that the awards were dedicated to the minister and his team.

Dunoma said that the airports were encouraged and working towards achieving same feat in the next assessment that would be conducted by ICAO and ACI.

He said the authority was committed to enhancing passengers experience in the nation’s airports and assured that Nigerian airports were recording improvements in all areas.

"On behalf of the FAAN management and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), I present to you sir, the Best Improvement in Safety Award of the ACI-Africa Region."

"An honour that was won by the NAIA at the just concluded 27th Annual Regional conferences, and the certification of FAAN training school as ICAO Aviation Training Centre,’’ he said

James Odaudu
Deputy Director, Media and Public Affairs