GOING by antecedents, Mr. Festus Keyamo (SAN), the minister in charge of Aviation and Aerospace Development, is arguably one Nigeria’s performing ministers. He retained his portfolio in the last cabin reshuffled by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. This is enough tonic for the minister to do every possible to leave an indelible footprint in the sand of time. The era is gone where aviation ministers waste time and resources to draw masterplans, roadmaps, name it, which are roads to nowhere as it were. The aviation industry has witnessed too many utopian ideas of transformation, which turned out to be drain pipes. From national hanger, hub and spoke, autonomous airports systems, mergers to revenue collection. Without all those ephemerals, the industry appears to be on track, especially in the areas of airports modernization. The minister has the Managing Director of Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mrs. Olubunmi Kuku to thank for her passion in the management of the airports. She came armed with a big picture of airport business, and it is paying off. The sanitization of facilitation, ambience, reduction in passenger processing points is a clear testimony of where we are headed if the tempo is maintained.
The minister, however, appears to have taken us aback with the announcement of engaging Special Airports Marshals for all the airports nationwide. According to him, professionals from all walks of life would be engaged to “conduct unscheduled visit to monitor staff conduct and access the overall hygiene and conditions of the airports and report to him.” The public is yet to get the modus operandi of “Special Airports Marshals”. First, the categories of Airports Marshals known to the aviation industry globally are those who direct the aircraft to the designated parking gate or areas. The second group has to do with security. Although air marshals had been in existence, they gained prominence after the bombing of World Trade Centre in the US by Al-Qaeda terrorists often referred to as 9/11. In the US, the air marshals are under Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) of Homeland Security Department, and some fly undercover on flights to prevent terrorist acts on board. Even before 9/11, EL AL, the Israeli national carrier, Ethiopian Airline and South African Airways (SAA) during the apartheid era are known to have flown with armed guard aboard any of their flights.
Questions that may greet the minister’s “innovation” are: what type of training will they get? What would be their areas of coverage? What of access? The answers to these questions are sine qua non as to the genuine intention of the Honourable Minister. There are numerous agencies at the airports charged with various responsibilities to ensure the airports run effectively. The Nigeria Civil Authority (NCAA) has the overall mandate of oversight functions. The NCAA regulates the operations of every airport in Nigeria, and any airport that fails to meet the set standard could be sanctioned. Even FAAN has a hierarchy of oversight functions in all its areas of operations. The passengers who use the airports daily are far in better positions to raise alarm about untoward acts. A day hardly passed without reports from passengers complaining about cancellations, delays, bottlenecks, extortions, none functioning carousels, power outage, access and congestion. These and more others are inputs used by FAAN and NCAA to address those complaints. From all indications, the airports are improving and are receiving world acclaim. There is the Aviation Security (AVESC) programme, which is run in tandem with ICAO Annex 17. This annex is unambiguous about policing the airports
The minster will fare better and continue with his crusade to bring our airports to global standard. He should be more concerned with policy formulation. The new airports being built here and there should be under his critical kaleidoscope. The airports don’t need special airports marshals, unless it is another avenue for jobs for the boys. The aviation industry is the most regulated sector globally, and there is little room for local manipulation. One can recall with consummate relish the 1995 aviation reforms, which saw the merger of NAA and FCAA, an airport operator and regulator fused into one. The devasting effect almost grounded the aviation industry. Many world bodies namely International Civil Aviation (ICAO), Airports Council International (ACI), International Air Transport Association (IATA) and International Federation of Airline Pilots Association (IFALPA), all weighed in to express their concern. IFALPA took a step further to brand Nigeria Airspace a “death trap”, and advised its members to avoid it. It took Nigeria many years back, and another five years to bounce back.
The hue and cry of passengers about airlines and state of our airports are enough alarm triggers for all those charged with responsibilities to right the wrong. The one-year management of FAAN is on track to make passengers feel real airport experience. Rather than bring another layer with the toga of special airports marshals, the aviation ministry should saddle itself with the responsibilities of policy formulation and put in place the necessary salvos. That is why the NCAA is there. It has the power to sanction or ground any airport for infraction. NCAA in line with Part 19 of the Civil Aviation Act of 2023 has Consumer Protection Officers on duty 24/7 in all the airports. FAAN on part has Customer Care Officers on duty. FAAN in line with ACI requirements conducts Airports Service Quality (ASQ), which is a survey. Whatever the rationale behind the Special Airports Marshal, the Nigeria factor could swallow it. There are eggs, and there are eggs, but some are rotten. It will not be out of place for a marshal to demand “kola” to write a good report on xyz airport, or else… It is a possibility. A good number of Public Servants, who have sworn to an oath of office, have embezzled billions, much less volunteers, who may have nothing to lose.
To avoid sending the wrong signal to the aviation industry globally, the idea of Airport Marshals should be jettisoned without blinking an eye. It is tantamount to distraction from the Standard and Recommended Practices (SARP). What all Nigerians are yearning for is a hassle-free airport experience, which is gaining traction. One area that should engage the attention of the Honourable Minister is the flurry of construction of new airports by state governments. Billions, if not trillions of naira of tax payers’ money are being sunk into these white elephant projects rather than concentrate on projects that would impact on the lives of the citizens.
After the jamboree, it will be dawned on them that such airports lack patronage. In the end, they would walk their way up to the Presidency, and presto, such airport is dumped on FAAN. It has happened before, and the trend will continue. It is more headache for FAAN
To check this trend, the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development needs to take its professionals and sit with FAAN to spew out policies that will make it mandatory for any state government to pay XYZ amounts to FAAN for the management of such an airport. Perhaps, we all should answer the question posed Mr. Chris Hassan, a Lawyer and Aviation Consultant some years back: Are we heading for airports without profits or airports with profits? For now, it is in the best interest of all and sundry for Mr. Honourable Minister to forget about Special Airport Marshals.
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