Reps mull single security outfit for airports

From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja

The House of Representatives is set to introduce a bill for a single security outfit for airports in the country, to aid the Federal Government’s Ease of Doing Business (EODB) initiative.

This was the outcome of a meeting between the Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila, House Committees on Aviation, Health, Agricultural Services and the management of agencies operating at the airports, as well as the Special Adviser to the President on the Ease of Doing Business, Jumoke Oduwole.

Gbajabiamila, based on contributions from stakeholders at the meeting, on how to achieve international best practices at the airports, mandated the Chairman, House Committee on Aviation, Nnolim Nnaji, to come up with a bill for a single security outfit for airports, within two weeks.

Nnaji is expected to liase with chairmen of other relevant House committees and heads of agencies in the aviation sector, to fashion the bill for the security outfit, which would be similar to the US Government’s Transport Security Administration (TSA), to take charge of airports security.

Gbajabiamila noted that traveling through the airports must be made as seamless as possible, stating that the level of stress and discomfort travelers go through at the nation’s prime gateways must be eliminated.

According to him, ‘our airports must give travelers the comfort they deserve, the facilities must work.’

The Speaker directed the House Committee on Aviation to interface with the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, (FAAN), Rabiu Yadudu on how to address touting and extortions at the airports.

The committee is also to interface with the Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Musa Nuhu, the management of all the agencies involved in facilitation of passengers and goods at the airports, including the Special Assistant to the President on Ease of Doing Business, over the menace of touting at the airports.