VIPs pose threat to containment of Covid-19, lives of airport workers
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PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI AT THE COMMISSIONING OF PORT HARCOURT INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, PORT HARCOURT, NIGERIA
The restart of air transport in Nigeria has been appraised seven days after, and scored excellent grade for the smooth and orderly manner all health protocols against COVID-19 are established and made to run smoothly. But sadly, those that should be exemplary in conforming with the new protocols, the Very Important Personalities, VIPs, have been variously caught breaking the new rules with ignominy thus endangering their lives and that of the general public. This challenge was brought to limelight at the review of the industry performance one week after the restart which was presided by the Director General, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Capt. Musa Nuhu.
At the Mallam Aminu Kano Airport, Kano, one of the VIP aides drove the government official vehicle on a convoy in a dangerous manner that lives of some airport workers were seriously threatened.
The driver on a VIP convoy drove recklessly at one of the restricted areas at the airport and rammed unto an innocent staff who was busy disinfecting an aircraft. The worker was knocked down and in a most ungentle-manly and ungodly manner, the driver had no scruples and bait no eyelid and beat an escape.
Also at the Port Harcourt airport, another so called VIP himself and his aides arrived the airport and shunned all the layers of biosecurity put in place as recommended by the International Civil Aviation Organization, ICAO, and domesticated by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, with the view to stem the spread of Coronavirus.
The VIP in question bull doze his way out of the terminal with his aides and by so doing jeopardized his health, that of his family members, close associates, domestic and office staff.
Hence, the Managing Director, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, Capt. Hamisu Rabiu Yadudu, appealed to well-meaning Nigerians especially those that should be seen as role model, to live up to the public expectations from them, as the younger generation and the airport personnel will no doubt be disappointed and looked at them with low esteem.Yadudu noted that since the commencement of flight operations there was no hiccup as passengers, airlines, ground handlers, and all others involved in the aviation chain, complied with the new normal as stipulated by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, that domesticated protocols from ICAO and IATA.
He fervently appealed to the VIPs to cooperate with the new guidelines in place at the airport as a way to instill the general public’s confidence in aviation. Yadudu said that any action by anyone that undermines the covid-19 safety protocol at the airports will not be supporting the fight to end the scourge as soon as possible.
The FAAN helmsman appealed that aviation is in dire need of confidence building, and as much as the industry had attained should not be eroded by thoughtless actions of those who should know but through deliberate rebellion put their safety and safety of others in jeopardy.
Director General, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, Capt. Musa Nuhu explained that the cumbersome efforts at reopening the nation’s skies were not for air safety but for the safety of health of every one that uses the airport and travel in an aircraft.
Hence he appealed that everyone with a mission at the airport and with a reason to board the aircraft should be self-persuaded to comply with the biosecurity in place to save themselves and their loved ones, and by extension the nation.
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