* Managing Director of FAAN, Capt. Hamisu Yadudu
…Says 100 % Of Staff At Owerri Airport Trained By WHO, Port Health On COVID-19
The Managing Director of Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Capt. Rabiu Yadudu has stated that the agency would implement flight spacing at all its airports to ensure total safety once the airspace is reopened for flight services.
The FAAN boss, who spoke at the weekend in Lagos, disclosed that the entire agency’s staff at Owerri Airport were trained 100 per cent by the World Health Organisation (WHO) AND Port Health Services (PHS) on operational and response time on COVID-19 pandemic.
Yadudu explained that flight spacing was not to disrupt any of the airline’s schedules, but to ensure total safety of passengers, airline staff and others within the airport environment.
FAAN, he stated had informed the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) of its plan to restrict multiple departures of flights from the same terminal at the same time.
“We have already told NCAA that we are going to space the flights. No two airlines will depart at the same time from our airports. The spacing is not to make things difficult for the operators, but to protect their staff and other users of our airports.
“It is not going to be unnecessary spacing. Like I told them, it is not a slot, but just spacing of flights,” he said.
On the inadequate space at the General Aviation Terminal(GAT) of the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA), Lagos, Yadudu stated that plans were on to increase its capacity by about 200 per cent with the construction of fabricated materials within the facility and that it would be ready very soon.
He restated the preparedness of the agency to recommence activities in the industry, adding that staff had been adequately trained to withstand the new order.
Yadudu insisted that the management followed to the letter all the protocols on COVID-19 pandemic and advisory circular from NCAA, adding that the agency increased its performance by increasing the requirements.
He stated that FAAN’s staff had been trained by Port Health Services (PHS) to ensure compliance on resumption.
“No airport in Nigeria has 100 per cent of its staff trained by W.H.O and Port Health on COVID-19 pandemic, but we achieved that with Owerri Airport. All our staff at Owerri Airport are 100 per cent trained with certificates issues. Overall, about 85 to 90 per cent of our staff have been trained and we want to achieve 100 per cent training for all.
“At GAT, we have also erected a large canopy for people to stay in incase of rain. We also have sanitisers and equipment to test their temperature at the airport and others in the country. Our tap water has sensors to minimise touch.
“We are discussing with some companies to enlarge the GAT with fabricated materials because we don’t have time for concrete work, which may take another five months to complete. The expansion of the GAT will lead to 200 per cent in the hall capacity.”
Speaking further, Yadudu revealed that FAAN was installing transparent shields in front all airline counters operating from its terminal in a bid to minimise physical contacts, adding that wearing of face masks and other protocols by Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) would be made compulsory.
Yadudu said that FAAN would open two arrival halls for more convenience of passengers at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja.
