Replicate MMA successes in other airports, Dunoma tells airport manager

The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Engr. Saleh Dunoma has urged the Airport Manager of Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, Mrs. Victoria Shin-Aba to extend the successes the airport recorded recently to other airports across the country.

Engr. Dunoma gave the advise on Monday while presenting the MMA’s Aerodrome Certification to Mrs. Shin-Aba at the conference hall of MMIA Ikeja.

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) had last week certified the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) as the certified aerodrome operator for the provision of required airport services, facilities, systems and equipment at Murtala Mohammed Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, in line with international standards and recommended practices.

The certificate which was presented to Dunoma by the Director General of NCAA, Captain Muhtar Usman at the NCAA headquarters means that the airport meets up the critical safety targets set by the Abuja Ministerial Declaration of July 2012 that mandated all African states to certify their international airports

Speaking at the presentation of the certificate to the Airport Manager, Dunoma emphasized the importance of airport certification, adding that MMA has done it and it is left for other airports to also key in.

He, therefore, urged Mrs Shin-Aba to “help us also to certify the other airports based on your experiences; make sure the full benefits of certification are ripped by the other airports that you manage”

According to the CEO, the next most important thing is the sustenance of the certification, adding that “The next important thing is the sustenance of the certification. It is a life certification and that is the reason why it should be sustained. NCAA has the right to withdraw the certification. There is a lot more to do in sustaining it”.

While explaining that it took about 11 years to achieve the certification, Dunoma pointed out that it takes a shorter period to lose it.

“In this case, as far as I am around, they have certified everything and it is closed. So we should always sit up and be on our toes. It must continue, and we must not relax. We have told the entire world that our operations is safe and secure. There shouldn’t be anything that would create doubts in the minds of our operators”

According to Dunoma, any suspicion will not augur well with the Authority just as he urged all FAAN workers and other stakeholders to work together as a team.

Congratulating Mrs. Shin-Aba, Dunoma said “I want us to work hard and sustain the certification just as we did during the certification process. We must continue to watch out right away. Let us do it in such a way that NCAA will not have cause to send anything to us. The items must continue to be closed.

In her acceptance speech, Mrs Shin-Aba thanked all those involved in the certification process, pledging that they will sustain the certification.

“History is made today. Today MMA is a proud owner and a certified airport. It is being counted among the committee of airports all over the world. I thank the MD for the opportunity given to us. It started 11 years ago and we came two years ago and everybody, workers worked assiduously to make sure history is made. I had a good cooperation with the FAAN workers. I am promising again on behalf of FAAN management that we will ensure that this certification is sustained.

In his comment, Director of Airport Operations, Captain Rabiu Hamisu Yadudu thanked all those involved in the certification process, emphasising that the feat was achieved due to the wisdom and resourcefulness of Engr. Dunoma.

Disclosing that a motion has been set in to sustain the certificate, Capt. Yadudu said: “We are fine turning the plan for sustaining the certification. We have to create a body to tackle it. We will set up Integrated Certification Committee that is going to be constituted primarily by the certification team and three officials of NCAA.

“With the Integrated Certification Committee, they will sit down and go round to list areas where we have defaults. Any item that have not been closed, should be attended to,” Yadudu said.