Lagos, Abuja airports, others may scale certification test
All seems to be ready as the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (NCAA) said it is ready for the certification of major airports in the nation by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).
None of Nigeria’s airports is certified over 50 years of aviation in the country which both the Federal Airports Authority of Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and the NCAA are concerned about and has thus been closing the gaps that could make the airports pass the assessment test.
Spokeswoman for FAAN, Mrs Henrietta Yakubu said five major international airports in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Kano and Enugu have been slated for certification in quick succession.
FAAN stated that pending gaps have been closed already and safety has been our driving force all through the preparatory stage.
The Murtala Muhammed International Airport will be the first in line for certification, while Abuja will follow and the other three will also follow.
Expressing confidence that the airports will come out in flying colours, the authority noted that the successful completion of this process will drastically reduce the high cost of insurance and also place the airports in good pedestal, while also ensuring effectiveness and efficiency.
The desire to ensure that Nigeria airports meet global standard that would necessitate them being certify, FAAN decided to embark on refurbishment of the five airports slated for certification.
The rot in the nation’s aviation sector which found deep expression in the assessed parlous infrastructural facilities that bedevilled the gateways over the years despite over N500 billion spent on airport remodelling did not make the aerodromes pass the certification test.
For many years, the 22 airports in the country have remained uncertified by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), on account of the poor state of infrastructure at the aerodromes.
Experts said lack adequate fire cover, efficient airspace communication infrastructure, water hydrant, fire fighting vehicles, airfield lighting, while poor security of the airport, were factors that militated against standard airport system stipulated by the global aviation regulatory body.
Early this year, FAAN had closed over 75 per cent of the gaps that hindered approval rating. In February this year, the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) in conjunction with the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) commenced the implementation of the Africa, Indian Flight Region (AFI) Plan Aerodrome Certification Project for Abuja and Lagos airports.
The objective of the certification is to ensure that the airports, which are the busiest in the country, meet international safety standard.
None of the nation’s airports has been rated by ICAO and other international aviation safety organisations because they have not been certified, and this has lowered the overall safety rating of Nigeria by the international aviation body.
Deputy General Manager (Operations), Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Victoria Shina-aba recently told Woleshadare.net that in the last one and half years, other things have become secondary to FAAN because of how deeply involved the agency is the certification process, stressing that FAAN is so passionate about it.
“We have the main manual; we have fire and rescue manual; we have accident and emergency plan. The manual is who does what, take responsibility. What is in the book for you is what you will do so by the time we are certified, there will be litigation and people can be found wanting. It is streamlined so that everybody has its responsibility.”
“The manager has a responsibility, you that you are working on the field you have your responsibility so that if there is an accident or incident and in the course of investigation you are found wanting, you would need to explain yourself. We have been able to put all those things together. Both FAAN and NCAA are working together. The era where they work independently is gone.”
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