The Aviation Safety Round Table Initiative (ASRTI) has spoken out against the menace of rats and the health hazards posed by unapproved products sold in the duty free shops at the Nigerian airport terminals.
The president of ASRTI, Air Cdr. Demola Onitiju (Rtd), voiced the complaint at a meeting he and his executive members had with the management of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), led by its managing director and chief executive, Mrs. Olubunmi Kuku.
Speaking during the interaction, Onitiji said FAAN has a duty to monitor and ensure that duty free shop operators sell only what they were granted approval to sell at the airports.
“In the interest of health safety of travelers, who are consumers and standard international best practices, it is important for FAAN to evolve some certification processes and establish who is selling what among the retail shop operators,” said Onitiju.
He also called for an urgent action to be taken against the menace of rats at the new terminal of the Lagos airport.
The ASRTI president also expressed the need to regulate concessionaires’ access to the newly commissioned terminals at airports.
Furthermore, he made a case for the enforcement of compliance with Service Level Agreements (SLAs) signed between FAAN and concessionaires at the airports as well as provision of better comfort for airport users, including the physically challenged passengers, who require separate facilities to access the terminal lounge.
Onitiju also empasised the issue of establishing security fence at the airports in line with ICAO standards and the need to relocate the Lagos airport toll gate and have two, such that there is an entry into and exit from the airport area.
In her response, Kuku expressed appreciation to the group for the observations as well as commended its contribution to the development of the aviation industry.
She noted that the ongoing infrastructure projects already incorporated the needs of physically challenged passengers and that a brand new elevator was already being installed.
On the issue concerning the concessionaires, the managing director said FAAN was already working on a revalidation process adding that the business development directorate was already reviewing the activities of retail shop operators to check standards, while the challenges of security at the cargo section was also being addressed by the cargo services directorate.
She further stated that on assumption of office, there was a huge gap in fire simulator training for airports fire personnel and that the gap had been filled.
On the dilapidated road linking the FAAN Training School with the international wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Kuku said the Lagos state government had agreed to contribute to the road repair adding that the state was discussing the matter with the federal authorities.
She added that some of the airport projects such as perimeter fencing of all the major airports are humongous, way beyond what FAAN’S internally generated revenue could carry and may require the federal government’s involvement.
She however stated that some aspects of the projects were already being done.
Also speaking, FAAN’s director of special duties, Mr. Henry Agbebire said steps were already being taken to tackle the menace of rats at the terminals, noting that “it is health safety hazard and an embarrassment to the country.”
ASRTI is the foremost Aviation pressure group in the country with the objective of “advancement of the Nigerian aviation sector through a consistent working relationship with the government, and knowledge sharing with stakeholders.”
