FG reiterates commitment to ensure security in aviation

The Minister of State, Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika has reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to ensuring safety in the aviation industry.

According to a statement by the Deputy Director of Press in the ministry, James Odaudu, Sirika said government will not be the weak link in aviation security.

The statement quoted the minister as saying this while addressing participants at the ongoing Regional ministerial conference on aviation security in Egypt on Thursday.

The minister assured that President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration will take seriously any task, role or assignment assigned to the nation of Nigeria.

Sirika said this promise had been been demonstrated by a presidential approval of programmes tailored to aviation security in the country.

He explained that the security operatives in the nation’s aviation industry had been exposed to training and now bear arms.

The minister expressed appreciation to the United Nation Counter-Terrorism Department for conducting the training of the aviation personnel on security.

“We have established training facilities in Abuja and Lagos by the help of United Nations Counter-Terrorism Department.

“We have also established a training department within the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority training centre and with Nigerian College of Aviation Technology to further strengthen aviation security”

 said in addition to two trainings that had already been conducted by the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Department; that there was plans for the exercise to remain continuous.

According to him, the Civil Aviation Act in Nigeria had just been reviewed and approved by the council of ministers and was now awaiting passage by the National Assembly.