The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has introduced new strategies meant to provide satisfaction for air passengers in airports across Nigeria.
The Special Adviser to the Minister on Media and Communications , Tunde Moshood ,who made this known in a press release said the key decisions are aimed at improving service delivery and environmental conditions at the facilities.
Moshood explained that in this regard, the Minister has appointed voluntary special airport marshals, planned to visit the airports occasionally with key officials in the aviation sector and allow for consultations from stakeholders.
The SA to the Minister on Media and Communications pointed that these initiatives underscore the Minister’s commitment to maintaining high standards of service delivery and cleanliness at Nigerian airports, ensuring they meet the needs of the traveling public.
“The Minister, in collaboration with relevant stakeholders, will appoint voluntary Special Airport Marshals who are resident in cities where airports are located. These Marshals, comprising public-spirited individuals drawn from members of the Fourth Estate of the Realm, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), and representatives of State Governors, will conduct unscheduled visits to the airports. Their role will be to monitor staff conduct and assess the general hygiene and conditions of the airports.
“The voluntary Special Airport Marshals shall report directly to the Honourable Minister, who will issue necessary directives to FAAN based on their findings.With this initiative, the Honourable Minister will no longer rely solely on official reports from Airport Managers but will also consider independent observations from these voluntary Special Airport Marshals.
“This will bring an additional transparent layer of supervision to our airports as it will ensure that Airport Managers who receive monthly allocations for airport maintenance are held accountable for their responsibilities.
“The Minister, accompanied by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, the Managing Director of FAAN, key directors of the Ministry and FAAN, and members of the Senate and House Committees on Aviation, will conduct unscheduled monthly inspections of airports nationwide. During these visits, the Honourable Minister will personally participate in various operational activities, demonstrating leadership and emphasizing the value of diligent service. The Honourable Minister will also address airport staff, hear their complaints and encourage them to uphold professionalism and serve the public courteously.
“Over the coming weeks, the Minister will engage stakeholders in consultations to identify and appoint suitable volunteers for the Special Airport Marshal roles. The names of the appointed Marshals will be publicly announced to ensure transparency and accountability.” Moshood wrote.
