Aviation agencies have began phased implementation of the executive order by the acting President, Yemi Osinbajo, by taking steps to fast-track the process of doing business in the sector, reports IME AKPAN Aviation agencies brace for implementation of executive order On May 18, 2017, the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, signed the executive order on the promotion of transparency and effi ciency in the business environment. He explained that as a matter of policy the federal government intends to create an enabling environment for businesses and to entrench measures and strategies that will promote transparency and effi ciency.
He added that the federal government was committed to the promotion of domestic and foreign investments, creation of employment and stimulation of the national economy. He directed that “all relevant ministries, departments and agencies at the airports shall within 30 days of the issuance of this order merge their respective departure and arrival interfaces into a single customer interface, without prejudice to necessary back-end procedures.”
In compliance with the executive order, the agencies in the Ministry of Aviation, including the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NiMet) and Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) began phased compliance with the order which has June 30, 2017 as the deadline.
FAAN began to implement the directive fi rst by removing the multiple physical check tables as well as desks hitherto belonging to security agencies Th e agencies operating at the airport include the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Department of State Security (DSS), Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Port Health Service, and the Nigerian Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS) and FAAN aviation security. FAAN’s Managing Director, Mr. Saleh Dunoma, said with the removal of the check tables, the agency had begun the implementation of the executive order. Dunoma, who was on inspection tour of the airport, expressed satisfaction with the success of compliance with the executive order.
“The desks that have been there for manual search are no longer there. The checks are being done at appropriate locations and this has created a tidy hall. Th is has improved the ambience of the departure hall. Of course, we have some issues that have to do with the fi rst day normally in any operations. We are trying to resolve that. “We have asked the management of the airport to come up with a complete and comprehensive report with the issues emanating from this operation, so we can further proff er solutions.
Th e whole terminal is very neat and tidy now,” he said. He said the federal government’s executive order “has commenced at the country’s busiest airport,” and implored passengers to arrive at the terminal early enough because of the new arrangement. “My advice to passengers is that they should come in good time, so they can accomplish the process as scheduled. Th ere are some new locations and process of screening, so the earlier they come, the easier for stakeholders, especially the airlines and the security agencies, to fi nish their procedures.”
He said there would no compromise with the procedures adding that whatever security procedure or security checks adopted would not be compromised. “Concentration is on Lagos Airport because it is the key airport, due to its size, complexity and passenger traffi c. If we get it right in Lagos, we will get it right in other airports. Once we do that, I believe all the other airports will be easy for us. “All participating agencies are ready to key into this big committee set up for the implementation. Everybody is contributing positively. From all indications, all hands are on deck to make sure the executive order is implemented successfully,” he added.
Dunoma said FAAN did not envisage any problem saying “it is fully committed to give all participating agencies its full support to close any obstacle that may arise. He also disclosed that the executive order does not give room for pre-checks on luggage. “All checks should be done in designated areas. Luggage should not to be checked at the departure hall,” he added. On the sustainability of the order, Dunoma said: “Once it is implemented, it must be sustained; that is why everybody must own it.
The agencies are sitting together now to make sure that they own the executive order.” To speed up passenger facilitation at airports, FAAN had ordered for more scanners. FAAN’s Acting General Manager, Corporate Aff airs, Mrs. Henrietta Yakubu, further said that when the scanners are delivered passengers would not have to spend much time at the screening points. “FAAN has ordered for more scanners to ease passenger facilitation at the airports. Th is is in conformity with the executive order issued by the federal government. “These scanners will take care of everybody. You know what we have now are the monitors.
It is because FAAN wanted to comply with the executive order. So, we used what we have on the ground to start the implementation. Whatever lapses are noticed now will be taken care of when we take delivery of the scanners,” she said. She confi rmed that the checking tables at the Lagos Airport had been collapsed into one. “We no longer have different checking tables at our airports. We started implementation of the executive order last Monday; we have collapsed all the diff erent desks at the airport into one. “
If you go to MMIA at the screening section, you will fi nd that FAAN aviation security (AVSEC), quarantine and a few other security agencies are there. All of them are there now to check passengers’ luggage. We don’t have customs, quarantine and others separate but have collapsed all of them into one,” she said. However, she said manual checks could not be completely done away with arguing that some countries do 20 per cent manual screening while some others do 10 per cent. “Where you suspect anything, you can check manually; where there is need for a luggage to be checked manually, it has to be done in the baggage hall, but not in public,” she added.
On its part, NCAA said it had put in place adequate measures to ensure full and sustained compliance with the federal government’s directive to fast-track the process of doing business at the airports. Consequently, the director general of NCAA, Capt. Muhtar Usman directed all aviation safety inspectors (ASI) to monitor the level of compliance with the executive order alongside their statutory oversight responsibilities at the airports as enshrined in the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations 2015 (Nig.CARs 2015). He said NCAA had prepared a standard document outlining its core functions and services, appropriate charges, fees, licenses, waivers and other tax-related processes in adherence to the order.
“The schedule contains mode of communication of offi cial decisions to the various applicants for our sundry services. “Th is information, together with other vital information, for ease of doing business in Nigerian aviation sector are (sic) contained in the offi cial website of the NCAA,” he said. Usman said he was in constant discussions with the heads of aviation agencies to ensure sustained adherence to the executive order through continuous surveillance. Meanwhile, the managing director of Dana Air, Mr. Jacky Hathiramani, has applauded the agencies for the swiftness and commitment shown in the implementation of federal government’s order.
“Th e recently signed executive orders…is a welcome development and underscores… commitment towards creating a favourable environment for businesses, particularly local businesses to thrive, and promoting our made in Nigeria goods and services.’’
“Apart from the fact that aviation industry is critical to the economy of our nation, I believe the executive order will take away unnecessary bureaucracies at the airport, provide solutions to a lot of anomalies in the system and open a vista of opportunities not just in the aviation industry but all sectors of the economy. “We also need to commend our aviation agencies for the swift reaction in carrying out the order. Aviation is a key sector…and the progress and commitment shown so far by our agencies are exemplary. What is now left is for us to see how these changes will have a positive impact on the operations of domestic airlines in the country,” he said.
