Airport authority to employ 720 staff

The Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) yesterday said it had got the nod of government to employ 720 staff to strengthen security around the runways. This, it was gathered, is to tackle increasing threat to airports and flight operations.
Managing Director of FAAN, Engr. Saleh Dunoma, said the fresh hands would be deployed to critical areas around the airside of the runways.
He spoke during the opening ceremony of a workshop to mark the Murtala Muhammed Airport Safety Week. The theme of the week is,  “Airside Safety, the Very Essence of Aviation”.
Recent incidents of stowaways at the airport have brought to the fore the increasing necessity for more secure operations at the airport, experts said.
But the FAAN boss, who emphasized the commitment of the authority to the provision of adequate security around airport facilities to ensure seamless operations, said appropriate measures and equipment are being deployed for that purpose.
The MD, who spoke through the Director of Airport, Operations and guest speaker, Capt. Henry Omeogu, assured that aircraft flying in and out of the nation’s airports are protected.
Omeogu said the safety week was aimed at creating awareness on the need to be safety conscious around the airport environment.
He charged airlines to always post professionals around the airside, saying deploying untrained personnel at critical areas could jeopardize safety.
He charged the staff to carry out periodic and daily inspections and audit of movement areas, just as he directed all airport managers to urgently set up local runway safety teams to prevent incident of incursion and excursions on the runway.