By Yemisi Izuora-Lagos
The Minister of Aviation, Chief Osita Chidoka has given the management of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), a two week ultimatum to evict touts from the airport environment.
The Minister who gave this directive today at the launching of the Anti-Corruption Intervention in the Aviation Sector, an ICPC Initiative said that “a mobile court for the airport would be requested for from the Lagos state government, where defaulters of airport rules would be tried and sanctioned immediately”. He promised to provide more CCTV cameras at the airports, to enhance security surveillance.
The Minister, who described the airport as a major point of interaction, directed FAAN to provide him with detailed requirements for making airports across the country more customer friendly.
He encouraged all airport staff to work hard to create the best impression to airport users, revealing that incentives would be given to staff of airports who model the expected standard at their duty post.
Chief Chidoka added that “Nigeria is a fertile ground for economic growth and investment and all aviation workers need to work hard to create the right impression at all airports across the country”.
The Chairman ICPC, Mr Ekpo Nta, in his own remark stated that “this initiative was born out of the need to strengthen the ethical conduct of airport staff and all airport users across the country”.
The event was attended by officials of all aviation Parastatals under the ministry of aviation, stakeholders and other government agencies at the airport at which
Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Ministry of Aviation and ICPC.
Also the Minster of Aviation, Chief. Osita Chidoka has launched an aviation passenger service portal and help line to improve service delivery in our airports.
Chidoka explained that it was imperative for this platform to be created in order to bridge critical lapses in the manner our airports and airlines currently operate.
The Minister noted that the initiative will improve service delivery at our airports redress delays, cancellations, dearth of information and deplorable services bedevilling the sector.
Speaking further, Chidoka expressed confidence that the passenger service portal and call centre helpline create a one stop platform for passengers to get access to information about hotels, car hire services, hospitals etc on line.
He further explained that with the commissioning of this platform and help line, passengers and airport users are entitled to seek redress for shoddy services.
In the same vein, unruly passengers in our airports are to be profiled through a mandatory identification for checking in process and possibly be barred from flying in our airports.
He called on the general public to avail these services through Passengers Service Portal (ASP) www.aviationportal.com.ng and call centre help line on 0700011111, for information on flight availability, local airport information, weather forecasts and airline performance analyses. Furthermore, visitors will have access to online aviation forums; industry news and Aviation commit updates.
The occasion was attended by all the chief executives of aviation parastatals, Airline operators, industry experts and aviation stakeholders.