The minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo on Wednesday, August 30, met with the visiting team of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), in Abuja.
The ICAO team’s visit is predicated on the much-awaited audit of the nation’s airports and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority-NCCA for the Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme (USOAP).
In his welcome address, Keyamo extolled the virtues and recognized the roles of ICAO USOAP in the international aviation industry, saying “Nigeria no doubt recognizes the role of ICAO which is aimed at constantly addressing and enhancing global aviation safety through coordinated activities.”
Speaking directly to the leader of the ICAO team, It is noted that the mission you embarked upon to Nigeria is a very important one aimed at, not only promoting global civil aviation safety through the monitoring of Contracting States’ safety oversight capabilities but improving their systems.
He said: “It, therefore, gives me great honour that you are visiting Nigeria at this time when the nation just concluded a transition to a new government in the annals of our democracy.”
Stating further, the minister is of the opinion that without an iota of doubt, the accomplishment of this audit is a shared national responsibility and as such, has been the focus of the Federal Government.
“Nigeria is fully aware that ensuring a safe, secure, efficient and environmentally-friendly civil aviation system, with modern and adequate infrastructure requires adequately funded autonomous Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and an Independent National Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), together with well-established aviation service providers.
In its bid to ensure continuous compliance with ICAO Standards and to meet the challenges of a rapidly growing air transport sector, the Nigerian Government has continued to maintain and reposition the industry for efficiency and the path of sustainable growth, he said.
Speaking further, the minister said: “Whilst Nigeria is not new to audits, no stone was left unturned in the preparation for this audit, to ensure a significant rise in the effective implementation of all the safety functional areas. Safety remains Nigeria’s priority, non-negotiable and it supersedes all other considerations for civil aviation.”
Being his first working visit to the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja the minister was led on a tour of several departments of the NCAA office by the Director General of NCAA, Capt. Musa Shuaibu Nuhu and he was also at the Prof. Mansur Bako Matazu-led Nigerian Meteorological Agency-NiMET where he was a guest presenter on Weather Forecast.
