BY OLAPEJU OLUBI
Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Safety Standards and Regulations, Hon. David Idris Zacharias, has commended the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) for sustaining a strong safety culture and fostering collaboration across the aviation industry.
Delivering his goodwill message at the 2025 FAAN Safety Week Executive Session held at the Marriott Hotel, Ikeja, Zacharias described the event’s theme, “Navigating Conflict for a Safer Aviation,” as timely and impactful, stressing that effective communication and partnership remain key to maintaining a safe and efficient aviation sector.
“The theme underscores the need for collaboration, dialogue, and mutual understanding among all stakeholders in ensuring a safe, secure, and efficient aviation sector,” he said.
The lawmaker reaffirmed the National Assembly’s commitment to supporting all initiatives that strengthen safety standards, enhance regulatory compliance, and promote the welfare of aviation workers nationwide.
He revealed that the House Committee has begun legislative processes on the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Bill, adding that a motion has been passed to create a dedicated budget line for OSH activities across all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).
“This is a call to action for everyone to be part of this movement,” Zacharias said, noting that safety remains a continuous process that demands vigilance, innovation, and cooperation.
He further urged FAAN to sustain its partnerships with other government agencies, operators, and professionals in advancing Nigeria’s adherence to global aviation safety standards.
The lawmaker also extended the Committee’s goodwill to FAAN management, industry stakeholders and participants, wishing them productive deliberations and renewed commitment to safer skies.
Also speaking at the event, former FAAN spokesperson, Hon. Yakubu Dati, urged aviation professionals to see conflict not as a disruption but as a catalyst for safer skies, stressing that emotional intelligence and proactive communication must now be treated as core safety tools.
Delivering the keynote paper at the 2025 FAAN Safety Week held at the Marriott Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos, Dati described the theme, “Navigating Conflict for a Safer Aviation”, as “timely and transformative,” noting that most aviation conflicts, whether between crew and passengers or management and regulators, stem from human factors rather than technical failures.
“What truly matters is not the presence of conflict, but how we manage and navigate it to enhance safety, efficiency, and trust within the aviation ecosystem,” Dati said.
He highlighted recent incidents, including the Ibom Air unruly passenger case and the KWAM 1 Abuja airport altercation, as examples that exposed the urgent need for empathy, de-escalation, and conflict management skills across the sector.
“In both cases, early emotional intelligence-driven engagement could have prevented escalation. Safety enforcement must be firm but empathetic,” he explained.
Dati proposed an Emotional Intelligence-Led Conflict Navigation Model (ELCN) built on six steps, detect, assess, engage, set boundaries, resolve, and debrief, which he said should be embedded into crew resource management and safety management systems.
He also highlighted the need for regulators, airlines, and training institutions to integrate conflict resolution and human psychology into aviation curricula.
“Safety begins in the human heart before it manifests in the cockpit or control tower,” he noted. “If we transform conflict into collaboration, then the sky will not only be a space for flight but also a space for peace, professionalism, and shared purpose.”
Dati also called for industry-wide collaboration to embed conflict management frameworks into aviation policies, strengthen communication training, and sustain Nigeria’s reputation as a regional leader in aviation safety.
Olapeju is a journalist and aviation reporter.
