BY OLAPEJU OLUBI
The Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria(FAAN), Mr Kabir Yusuf Mohammed has warned touts and louts operating at various airports as extortionists to quit or face unpalatable consequences.
He also read the same riot act to FAAN staff and other government agencies officials who prey on passengers, forewarning them that the management has engaged the services of “mystery staff” at the four international airports of the country.
Mohammed explained that the duty of these mystery staff was to document the activities of staff at the airports and report to management.
The MD made this known during a one-day sensitization programme on ACI Airport Service Quality (ASQ) Initiative organised by the Directorate of Airport Operations at the Conference room of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMA) recently.
Mohammed expressed displeasure at the poor reputation of Murtala Muhammed International Airport due to extortion of passengers and warned that anyone caught in such an act this Yuletide season will face disciplinary consequences.
He said that travellers are discouraged from flying through the international terminal of the Lagos airport because of extortion.
The FAAN boss challenged representatives of all the government agencies that operate at the airport namely; Customs, Immigration, Quarantine, Police and all others to be at their absolute best when carrying out their day-to-day activities .
He reminded everyone that there are active cameras everywhere and whosoever is caught doing anything that will bring FAAN into disrepute would be sanctioned.
He noted that all these agencies that work at the airport were complicit in the breach and stated that the FAAN management was not going to tolerate the embarrassment any further.
He encouraged everyone to help improve the reputation of the airport and the country at large by being courteous and respectful to the travelling public, especially in the Yuletide season.
He further called for deepened collaboration, adding; “we are one airport and if there’s any wrongdoing, people don’t bother to know which agency did the wrong. They only know the airport where they were wronged”.
The ACI ASQ sensitization event was powered by the Directorate of Airport Operations headed by Captain Mukhtar Yusuf Muye.
The event also had an interactive session where participants expressed their various concerns and also gave positive suggestions on how the image of the airport can be improved.
Present at the occasion were top management staff of FAAN, other government agencies and concessionaires operating within the Murtala Muhammed International Airport.
