Minister says airport security still paramount

Category: Business Published on Thursday, 24 January 2013 06:00 Written by .

The Minister of Aviation Princess Stella Oduah has said that security at the nation’s airports is a priority of the ministry in order to meet global aviation standards.

The minister restated the resolve yesterday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in an Abuja.

She said since Nigeria was aiming at becoming the commercial hub for aviation in Africa, it would not take security issues for granted in order not to jeopardise national goals. Oduah said that all airports in the country would be well equipped with modern security apparatus.

She said that passengers were the number one client of the industry who must be safe, secured and comfortable.

She said: “We are working tirelessly to make air the most preferred mode of transportation in Nigeria; this includes making it safe. What we are doing here is global; it is of international standard because there is no Nigerian aviation standard and we are in conformity with the global standard one on safety.

“The project we have embarked upon in the industry is to provide comfort for the people and to generate revenue for the government. Therefore, we are building up our security standards in terms of infrastructure capacity, training and equipments.”

Oduah said that the aviation road map was designed to revolutionalise the industry and increase revenue derivable from the sector by 300 per cent.

She added that aviation safety has remained one of the most important goals.

“This entails institutionalised world class safety and security standard through reforms, infrastructure development, employment, shopping, trading, business, leisure and cargo haulage,” she said. (NAN)