NIGERIA, OTHERS SIGN AVIATION LAWS TO CURB TERRORISM

By NBF News

Nigeria and 77 other countries have signed two sets of air transport laws to arrest the growing challenge of global terrorism, the Minister of Aviation, Mrs. Fidelia Njeze, has disclosed.

The two laws, which spell out penalty to be meted out to anyone or group found in any act of terrorism, were signed into law during the just concluded International Civil Aviation Organisation's Diplomatic meeting in China.

The minister made the disclosure in a paper presented at the 19th Airports Council International Summit, which began in Abuja on Monday and ends on Saturday.

According to her, 'To ensure that Nigeria is at the forefront of aviation safety and security, Nigeria participated at the just concluded ICAO Diplomatic Conference in China and signed two instruments along with 77 other countries.

'The two instruments adopted are the convention on the suppression of unlawful acts relating to international civil aviation and the protocol supplementary to the convention for the suppression of unlawful seizure of aircraft.'

African leaders at the Abuja summit proffered myriad of solutions to the challenges of safety and security facing the air transport sector on the continent.

The theme of the summit, 'The Challenges of Safety, Security and Technology in the Emerging Trend of Airport Development in Africa,' is expected to shape the future of airport infrastructure, security and funding in Africa.

The leaders listed the problems to include inadequate safety and security; new technology, funding; passenger facilitation and decrepit facilities; inadequate manpower and poor debt collection mechanism.

Participant at the meeting include the Managing Director, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Mr. Richard Aisuebeogun; Managing Director, Airports Company of South Africa, Mrs. Monhla Hlahla; Director of Safety and Standards, United States Federal Aviation Administration, Mr. Michael O'Donnel; Secretary General, Africa Civil Aviation Commission, Mr. Boubacar Djibo; and Director, Safety/Technical and Training, Africa Airlines Association, Dr. Elijah Chingosho.