Minister of Aviation
The Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 has expressed satisfaction with the level of preparedness in the aviation industry towards the restart of the sector.
The commendation was given by the Coordinator, PTF COVID-19, Dr. Sani Aliyu after the assessment of the Lagos Airport shortly after the arrival PTF on COVID-19 at the General Aviation Terminal (GAT) otherwise known as MMA1.
The team arrived at Lagos Airport aboard a flight operated by Aero Contractors airline from Abuja to Lagos.
Aliyu assured intending air passengers that the Aviation industry is safe for them to fly and they would be well protected against contracting the dreaded virus.
He however warned that the ball is in the Court of the passengers to take responsibilities by obeying all safety instructions.
According to him, ” Aviation is a highly regulated sector and this is the new normal. Things have changed and things have changed because we have a disease killing people.
” The aviation industry industry has shown what they have done as an industry and now it is left to Nigerians to do what they need to to be safe.
” While aviation has done tremendously well, what will protect you is yourself and we equally will make sure Nigerians can be safe when they fly.
Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika who also spoke at the end of a dry run test, declined to specify when the airports would reopen for commercial flights; he however said that he is 90 to 95 per cent satisfied with what is on ground.
He said the only thing left to be done at the airport is the surface cleaning and installation of baggage spray machines which he said are ready.
“Once we start, all the physical distancing measures would be observed. The markings in Lagos are as much as we have in Abuja.
“I’m not 100 per cent satisfied but I am 90 per cent satisfied and why did I say so? I said so because our airports both Lagos and Abuja, we have marked them clearly, we have trained our staff to ensure the physical distancing, we have provided COVID-19 compliant toilets. We have provided for hand sanitizers, we guided people efficiently. We reduced the amount of people in the Combus we took.
“So we have done everything humanly possible to ensure that people keep physical distancing and they are wearing their mask. So I am very satisfied and happy.”
In terms of timeline, he said, “I think once we are good to go, we are good to go. You know there are two components of it. The health and safety components. This thing is not as easy as you think.. I don’t want to give a date but I am sure we are getting there.”
Also Miniser of State for Health, Mamora said compliance is very critical and government might be forced to enforce compliance.
In addition Sirika said, palliatives to the aviation industry will be announced no sooner than next one week as the sector inches towards restart.
“90 percent of what we do in civil aviation is not seen by people, like the Very High Frequency Omnidirectional Range ( VOR) and other safety systems put in place but aviation is ready, I don’t want to give a timeline but when we are set to open, we will open.
On palliatives, the minister said in conjunction with the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Ministry of Finance the amount for the palliative will be announced soon.
” Government is coming with the palliative very soon in conjunction with the CBN and the Ministry of Finance, by next week we will come out with the amount and palliative will be announced within the week. Within the economic sustainability plan. It will go round the entire civil aviation but may not be necessarily cadf like people expect.”
Apart from the National Coordinator of the PTF, Dr. Sani Aliyu, Sirika and Minister of State for Health, Olounnibe Mamora, others in the team were Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Minister of State for Education, among others.
As soon the team landed in Lagos at around 12:30 aboard Aero flight, members inspected both the departure and arrival areas of the airports to assess the social distancing measures put in place.
The boarding and waiting areas were clearly marked for passengers to observe social distancing while the toilets have automatic hand washing points.
Similarly, automatic sanitizer dispensers were provided at every point of the boarding just as there are automatic temperature screening points
