Yemisi Izuora
The team of International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Auditors has said that though Nigeria made some significant improvement in the area of aviation security, however some areas need to be covered to further perfect the system.
ICAO affirmed that Nigeria performed excellently in the 9 – day audit it conducted on the nation’s aviation security system.
The organisations team leader Steven Neu said he was impressed with the National Security Programme but that the country still need to effect very minimal changes which needed to be closed.
Mr Neu said,’’ Nigeria surpassed our expectations. We reviewed the 2008 audit before we commenced this exercise but we discovered there have been massive improvements in the security systems at the airports.’’ To Nigeria’s credit all the minimal open items were closed immediately.
He scored Nigeria over 90 percent after the exercise.
The Team Leader said Nigeria is one of the first countries in the world to go through the USAP Continuous Monitoring Assessment (CMA) Audit, as he applauded all the security agencies at the airports – the aviation security, Nigerian police airport command, DSS, Port Health Services, Air Force, Nigerian Drug Law enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and Quarantine services for their efforts.
He said now that the USAP CMA activity has been completed draft findings and recommendations will be provided to the Regulatory Authority and assured that after 60 days ICAO will forward the USAP CMA audit report to Nigeria.
In 30 days, Nigeria is expected to submit its comments on the audit report if any and within another 30 days, the country will submit to ICAO its Corrective Action Plan (CAP).
The Director General, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, (NCAA), Capt. Muhtar Usman thanked the ICAO Auditors for a very thorough and transparent audit.
He expressed satisfaction that Nigeria’s performance was higher than the preceding audit in 2008.
Usman assured ICAO that Nigeria will not rest on her oars but will continue to ensure that it’s air transport operation is secure and safe.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, (NCAA), will soon commence preparation for the ICAO’s Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme (USOAP) in November this year.
While the USAP takes cognisance of states’ security at the airports, the ultimate goal of USOAP is promoting global aviation safety through regular audits of safety oversight systems in all ICAO member states.