Nigeria drafts special marshals to airports for service delivery
Festus Keyamo, minister of aviation and aerospace development
Sade Williams/Business a.m.
Nigeria is deploying voluntary special marshals to its airports across the country in a bid to ensure they meet the highest standards in customer service and operational excellence, says Festus Keyamo, the country’s minister of aviation and aerospace development.
The minister said the initiative is aimed at addressing the expectations of the travelling public who daily utilise the airports.
It is also aimed at improving service delivery and environmental conditions at these facilities.
Keyamo, in collaboration with relevant stakeholders, will appoint voluntary special airport marshals who are resident in cities where airports are located.
These marshals, comprising public-spirited individuals drawn from members of the Fourth Estate of the Realm, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and representatives of state governors, will conduct unscheduled visits to the airports. They will monitor staff conduct and assess the general hygiene and conditions of the airports.
According to a statement by Tunde Moshood, special adviser, media and communications to the minister, the voluntary special airport marshals shall report directly to the minister, who will issue necessary directives to the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) based on their findings.
With this initiative, the minister will no longer rely solely on official reports from airport managers but will also consider independent observations from these voluntary special airport marshals.
“This will bring an additional transparent layer of supervision to our airports as it will ensure that airport managers who receive monthly allocations for airport maintenance are held accountable for their responsibilities,” he said.
With this, the minister, accompanied by the permanent secretary of the ministry, the managing director of FAAN, key directors of the ministry and FAAN, and members of the Senate and House committees on aviation, will conduct unscheduled monthly inspections of airports nationwide.
During these visits, the minister will personally participate in various operational activities, demonstrating leadership and emphasising the value of diligent service.
He will also address airport staff, hear their complaints and encourage them to uphold professionalism and serve the public courteously.
“Over the coming weeks, the minister will engage stakeholders in consultations to identify and appoint suitable volunteers for the special airport marshal roles. The names of the appointed marshals will be publicly announced to ensure transparency and accountability.
“These initiatives underscore the minister’s commitment to maintaining high standards of service delivery and cleanliness at Nigerian airports, ensuring they meet the needs of the travelling public,” he added.