Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has reviewed its Airport Emergency Plan (AEP) to minimize the effects of accidents as well as clarify roles and responsibilities of the various stakeholders in the event of any unfortunate incident.
The review which was concluded by FAAN during a stakeholders meeting at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, included aviation agencies, security agencies, emergency response agencies, airline operators, ground handling companies as well as community leaders.
In her welcome address, Mrs Victoria Shin-Abba, Regional General Manager, South West Airport, FAAN, said the AEP was one of the requirements of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).
Shin-Abba said :” The objective of airport emergency planning is to anticipate the effects an emergency might have on life, property and aerodrome operations.
“It is also to prepare courses of action to minimize these effects particularly in respect to saving lives.”
According to her, it also clarifies roles and responsibilities of the various stakeholders and establishes a mechanism for feedback and recommendations for programme improvement.
She noted that previous air incidents in the country had necessitated the need for all stakeholders to work together towards achieving the common goal of minimizing the impact on lives and property.
Shin-Abba, charged the stakeholders to be alive to their specific responsibilities as detailed in chapter four of the AEP, stressing that this would help to reduce fatalities during air accidents.
Also, Mr Uche Igumba, Principal Airport Fire Officer, MMIA, said the AEP was set up in 2017 and was therefore due for a review to allow the stakeholders to make fresh inputs that would ensure better implementation.
Igumba commended the stakeholders for their support towards its success, noting that the MMIA had excelled in various mock safety exercises conducted in the past two years.
He also urged the stakeholders to remain vigilant at all time stressing that incidents and accidents are part of aviation.
