Wants offenders barred from Airports

Tordue Salem – Abuja

The Chairman House Committee on Aviation, Rep Nnolim Nnaji (PDP-Enugu), has condemned the violation of COVID-19 safety rules at airports in the Country.

The Committee made its position on Thursday in Abuja, in response to reports that highly placed passengers and aviation officials were in breach of safety guidelines issued by the Nigerian Centre for Diseases Control, NCDC.

“We condemn the flagrant abuse of the safety protocols by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, in line with the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control, (NCDC) for the reopening of airports in the country”, Nnaji said.

Rep Nnaji urged FAAN and NCAA “to ensure that those who refuse to subject themselves to the protocols are denied future access to the airports.”

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He said it was “regrettable that people who pride themselves as leaders rather than show examples, chose to exhibit this type of indiscipline, to endanger the lives of both airport workers and other users of the airports”.

According to him, “This type of behaviour can not be tolerated. It is not a must that you have to travel by air, but if you choose to, you must abide by the laid down procedures established by FAAN and NCAA in line with the NCDC guidelines”.

The lawmaker called on the leadership of the agencies to be firm, stressing the need for the front line staff, especially the airport security and Health officials to be firm and courageous in carrying out their duties, to ensure that every passenger no matter the status observes the protocols.

Nnaji who represents Nkanu East/West Federal Constituency, Enugu State in the House of Representatives further declared that the entire members and leadership of National Assembly were totally behind the aviation agencies and the frontline staff and would strongly protect them in doing the right things.

He added, that “am sure the executive and judicial arm of government is equally behind them. A lot of money has been sunk into the industry to meet the criteria in terms of protocols, pieces of training and materials deployment by the Airline operators and FAAN, therefore, the government cannot tolerate any acts that will rubbish the whole essence.

“I want to also assure Nigerians that we in the National Assembly has resolved to abide by the protocols and we will not allow anyone no matter the position in the society to unnecessarily endanger the lives of Nigerians.”

Vanguard