Recognising the critical need for Nigeria’s airports to meet the highest standards of customer service and operational excellence, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo, has announced new initiatives aimed at addressing the expectations of the travelling public that patronise the airports daily across the country.
The ministry, in collaboration with relevant stakeholders, will create voluntary Special Airport Marshals who are residents in cities where airports are located.
According to a press statement made available to journalists by the Special Assistant on Media and Communication to the Aviation Minister, Mr. Tunde Moshood, the plan to create the Airport voluntary Special Marshals is aimed at improving service delivery and environmental conditions at the airports across the country.
These Marshals, comprising public-spirited individuals drawn from members of the Fourth Estate of the Realm, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), and representatives of state governors, will conduct unscheduled visits to the airports to monitor staff conduct and assess the general hygiene and conditions of the airports.
The voluntary Special Airport Marshals shall be expected to report directly to the Minister, who will issue necessary directives to the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria FAAN based on their findings.
Also, with this initiative, the Minister will no longer rely solely on official reports from Airport Managers but will also consider independent observations from these voluntary Special Airport Marshals.
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“This will bring an additional transparent layer of supervision to our airports as it will ensure that Airport Managers who receive monthly allocations for airport maintenance are held accountable for their responsibilities,” Keyamo added.
Also to ensure punctuality and hard work, the Minister revealed plans for unscheduled supervision, accompanied by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, the Managing Director of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, among key directors of the ministry, members of the Senate, and House Committees on Aviation, will also conduct unscheduled monthly inspections of airports nationwide.
During these visits, the minister will personally participate in various operational activities, demonstrating leadership and emphasising the value of diligent service and also addressing airport staff, hearing their complaints, and encouraging them to uphold professionalism and the public courteously.
“We will engage stakeholders in consultations to identify and create suitable volunteers for the Special Airport Marshal roles. The names of the Marshals will be publicly announced to ensure transparency and accountability.
“These initiatives underscore our commitment to maintaining high standards of service delivery and cleanliness at Nigerian airports, ensuring they meet the needs of the travelling public,” he stated.
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