The minister of aviation and aerospace development, Mr Festus Keyamo has described Nigeria’s 70 per cent score as against the 75 per cent benchmark in the 2023 Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme (USOAP) of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) as “unacceptable.”
Keyamo made the remark at the aviation management retreat tagged ‘Warri 2023’ held in Warri, Delta State.
The USOAP is a programme through which ICAO monitors the fulfillment of the safety oversight obligations by it member states.
The results of USOAP activities allow ICAO to assess a state’s capability in providing safety oversight by assessing whether the state has effectively and consistently implemented the eight critical elements of a safety oversight system, which enable the state to ensure the implementation of ICAO’s safety-related standards and recommended practices (SARPs) and associated procedures and guidance material.
The eight critical elements are of a state’s safety oversight system are primary aviation legislation and civil aviation regulations, civil aviation organisation, personnel licensing and training, aircraft operations, airworthiness of aircraft, aircraft accident and incident investigation, air navigation services, aerodromes and ground aids,
Speaking on the audit result, the minister noted that “aviation is first and foremost a safety and security critical industry,” advising that “we must subsequently enforce proper monitoring and evaluation to maintain these standards.”
He said one of the goals of the present government is to position the Nigerian aviation industry as a hub on the African continent and the world at large.
He charged the participants in the retreat to be proactive and circumspect in their deliberations regarding “where we are today as an industry; where we desire to be and most importantly, how to get there.
Keyamo said the government was passionate about the transformation of the aviation sector and called on all the attendees “to share same passion in transforming your department and agencies for the good of the aviation industry and the nation at large,” by rolling “up our sleeves and get to work.”
“There is no doubt that growth and development in the aviation sector should be private sector driven to attract foreign direct investment. As policy makers, we have a responsibility to ensure that deployment of policies, programmes and project are well articulated and in compliance with ICAO standard,” he added.
In his remarks, the chairman, senate committee on aviation, Mr Buhari Abdulatif who was represented by the vice chairman of the committee, Peter Jiya, urged the government to tackle the challenges in the aviation industry by improving the aviation business in Nigeria to attract foreign investors.
He also said infrastructure at the major airports should be improved upon adding that safety concerns, high cost of aviation fuel, high operation cost, inadequate funding and resources, flight delays and cancellations and lack of skilled manpower should be addressed.
