The minister of aviation, Mr. Hadi Sirika yesterday expressed satisfaction with the level of preparedness of the major airports to restart operations.
The airports were shut down for commercial activities on March 23 owing to the coronavirus pandemic.
Speaking yesterday at dry run simulation exercise organised by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) at the domestic terminal of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, Sirika said with the facilities on the ground and some other steps taken “the airports are about 90 per cent ready to reopen.”
The minister who kept the time for reopening the airports for commercial activities under wraps however said the only thing left to be done at the airport was the surface cleaning and installation of baggage spray machines which he said were ready.
“Once we start, all the physical distancing measures would be observed. The markings in Lagos are as much as we have in Abuja.
“I’m not 100 per cent satisfied but I am 90 per cent satisfied and why did I say so? I said so because our airports both Lagos and Abuja, we have marked them clearly, we have trained our staff to ensure the physical distancing, we have provided COVID-19 compliant toilets. We have provided for hand sanitisers, we guided people efficiently.
“So we have done everything humanly possible to ensure that people keep physical distancing and they are wearing their mask. So I am very satisfied and happy.
“I think once we are good to go, we are good to go. You know there are two components of it, the health and safety components. This thing is not as easy as you think. I don’t want to give a date but I am sure we are getting there,” he said.
On palliatives for the aviation industry, the minister said the ministry of finance in conjunction with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) would disclose the amount in the coming days.
“Government is coming with the palliative very soon in conjunction with the CBN and the ministry of finance, by next week we will come out with the amount and palliative will be announced within the week.
“Within the economic sustainability plan it will go round the entire civil aviation…” he said.
Also speaking, the national coordinator of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, Dr. Sanni Aliyu expressed satisfaction with the level of preparation by the Aviation sector to restart saying “the stakeholders have done tremendously well.”
He assured would-be passengers that the aviation industry is safe for them to fly and they would be well protected against contracting the dreaded virus.
He said the ball is in the court of the passengers to take responsibility by obeying all safety instructions.
“Aviation is a highly regulated sector and this is the new normal. Things have changed and things have changed because we have a disease killing people.
“The aviation industry has shown what they have done as an industry and now it is left to Nigerians to do what they need to be safe.
“While aviation has done tremendously well, what will protect you is yourself and we equally will make sure Nigerians can be safe when they fly,” Aliyu said.
For his part, the minister of state for health, Dr. Olorunnimbe Mamora said compliance is very critical and government might be forced to enforce compliance.
Apart from Sirika, Aliyu and Mamora, the exercise, which was aimed at assessing the readiness of the airports for reopening post Covid-19 was also witnessed by the minister of information and culture, Mr. Lai Mohammed, minister of state for education, Mr. Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba; director general of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Capt. Musa Nuhu, the managing director of FAAN, Capt. Rabiu Yadudu, chairman of Air Peace, Mr. Allen Onyema, amongst several other stakeholders.
The simulation exercise kicked off from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja as passengers were taken through the Post Covid-19 departure protocols en route Lagos on a Boeing 737 flight operated by Aero Contractors.
The aircraft arrived at the General Aviation Terminal, Lagos where passengers on board were facilitated in line with the normal procedural order of arrival facilitation.
The team inspected both the departure and arrival areas of the airport to assess the social distancing measures put in place.
The boarding and waiting areas were clearly marked for passengers to observe social distancing.
The team from also went through the departure protocols, signalling the end of the exercise.
