Senate urges top government functionaries to submit to airport security, safety protocol
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The Senate has charged top government functionaries both appointed and elected, to be honourable enough to exhibit exemplary conduct whenever at the nation’s airports. They were urged to voluntarily submit themselves to the newly stipulated airport security and safety protocols as recommended by the regulatory body, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA.
Chairman Senate Committee on Primary Healthcare and Communicable Diseases, Chukwuka Godfrey Utazi, gave the charge during an inspection tour of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, to ascertain the level of facilities at the airport, especially those related to COVID-19 health safety protocols meant to protect passengers and preserve the hygiene condition of the entire airport environment.
Senator Utazi, representing Enugu North senatorial district, frowned at the reported incidences in the airport where top government officials exhibited disdain for the health safety protocols and also condemned the assault reportedly meted on one of the staff of the Federal Airport Authority Of Nigeria, FAAN.
He said henceforth, such assault will not be tolerated as those personalities when at any airport outside the country often extend courtesies to airport staff in the foreign countries. Similar courtesy Utazi demanded, should be extended to FAAN staff at all the airports throughout the country.
Utazi said his committee was at the airport for a first-hand assessment of the COVID-19 health safety architecture in place ahead of the restart of international flight into the nation’s international airports.
He noted that as the populace expects international flights to resume, international trade will quickly follow, more human interaction will increase hence the entry ports must be equipped with humans and equipment to nip in the bud any infected person from gaining entry.
Senator Chukwuka Godfrey Utazi
The committee expressed satisfaction with the international wing of the airport and urged the airport health officials to rise to the challenge the reopening of the nation’s skies to international flights will bring.
The Chairman urged the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), and the Ports Health officials to ensure that travellers do not come to the airport healthy and leave the place sick.
The operator of an eatery by the departure lounge named, Mobak-Link Restaurant, was directed to step up the quality of its facilities by replacing the faucet at the wash hand basin, with the sensor type which does not need touching or turning before dispensing water.
Utazi called on the managers of the airport, FAAN, to ensure the regular provision of resources crucial to the sustaining of the safety protocols to protect travellers and other airport users.
He also noted that adequate provision of fail-proof “Personal Protective Equipment”, PPE, was imperative for the airport staff to reduce their exposure to the coronavirus infection while on official duty to their fatherland.
The Airport Regional Manager, Sani Mahmud, acquainted the committee with the new operating standards that obtained at the airport such as granting access exclusively to those wearing a face mask and had their bags sanitized.
Mahmud said on the departure of each flight, the seats are sanitized. He showed the committee markings on the floor which he said guide the passengers to comply with stipulated physical distancing guidelines. Adequate hand sanitizer and water he said were at the disposal of passengers.
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