The Minister of State for Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika, has reiterated Federal Government’s commitment to ensuring safety and security at the nation’s airports for efficient air transportation in Nigeria.
Sirika gave the assurance on Friday in Abuja when the Managing Director, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mr Saleh Dunoma, presented to him, awards of excellence given to Nigeria by Airports Council International (ACI).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, was awarded the “Best Improvement in Safety Award” by ACI in Abidjan in October.
Sirika said that safety and security as well as comfort of passengers were cardinal objectives of President Muhammadu Buhari’s government.
“When I was posted to this duty post, we were very clear as to our mandate – everything will be to improve the safety and security and the facilitation of passengers with a lot of comfort and ease.
“Efficient air transportation has been our goal.
“I am more than humbled 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 very critical to the movement of air transportation and by the grace of God, we were able to deliver that procurement,’’ he said.
Sirika stated that the desire of the government was to improve the nation’s aviation industry and other sectors of the economy for the benefit of the citizenry.
According to him, a lot of achievements have been recorded in the sector because we are no longer where we used to be.
He commended FAAN management for hard work towards achieving the feat and assured that the government would continue to give the authority the needed support.
Earlier, Dunoma had said that the award was a result of the minister’s leadership guidance and encouragement, and therefore, dedicated to him and his team.
Dunoma said that the airports were encouraged and were working towards achieving excellence in the next assessment that would be conducted by ICAO and ACI.
He said that the authority was committed to enhancing passengers’ experience in the nation’s airports and noted 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.
