Yemisi Izuora
The federal government is set for the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) audit.
A Six-man team from that arrived Nigeria which visited the country on a technical assistance ahead of the ICAO Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme (USOAP) slated for March, 2016 has already concluded its assignment.
There was a debriefing session with all the stakeholders namely the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria[FAAN], Nigerian Airspace Management Agency[NAMA] and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority[NCAA] at the Authority’s conference room mid-week, Ikeja Lagos.
The ICAO team leader, Mr John Gratton, at the occasion acknowledged the standardisation of NCAA’s Safety Roadmap which he described as foremost in Africa.
He commended the other aviation sister Agencies for the overall contribution to Safety and Security in Nigeria and Africa. The team tasked the stakeholders not to rest on their oars urging them to quickly address all the identified deficiencies.
Responding the Director General of the NCAA Capt. Muhtar Usman not only gave the assurance that the authority will continue to carry out its oversight functions effectively at all times as a prerequisite for successful outing in the ICAO Audit but promised that all open items would be addressed promptly.
He assured the team that all those basic guidelines given will be religiously followed by all stakeholders.
Members of the ICAO delegation are Mrs Kristian Dores, Mr. Michael (Mickey) Mcdonald, and Mr. Tahir Hussain Siddiqui. Others are Mrs Naomi Mwaugi and Mr Ben Hallberg. With Mr John Gratton as Team Leader.
The Director of Operations and Training[DOT], Capt Abdullahi Sidi represented the DG at the stakeholders meetings.
The visiting ICAO Assistant Team were in the Country for about two weeks to offer necessary assistance to the Nigeria State in its preparation towards the next year Universal Safety Audit.