… It Will Heighten Investors’ Confidence in the Country-Sirika
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| L-R: Sen. Hadi Sirika and Douglas Melvin Project Manager for the AVSEC schools |
The United Nation is planning
establish two Aviation Security training institutes in Nigeria. According to
James Odaudu Deputy Director, Press and Public Affairs of the Ministry of Aviation
in a statement said, “ The federal government’s vision and efforts towards
turning around the aviation sector to meet global standards in infrastructure,
safety and security has continued to receive worldwide acclaim and endorsement
at the highest level, with the United Nations’ decision to establish two
Aviation Security Training Schools in Nigeria.”
The main objective of the
project is to support the nation’s overall counter-terrorism strategy by
providing a key element of a robust national aviation security policy that mitigates
effectively the threat posed to civil aviation by terrorist organizations and
their operatives
Minister of State for
Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika briefed by the United Nations-appointed Project
Manager for the schools, Douglas Melvin. Melvin said the initiative will also
enhance the capacity within the United Nations system to help interested Member
States to implement the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy in an
integrated manner. “This involves assisting the partnering Member States with
their implementation of the Strategy across all four topical pillars, which
address the multiple dimensions of countering terrorism, and utilizing
assistance capacities and efforts from across the United Nations system”.
According to Melvin, “the
choice of Nigeria, out of twenty-five (25) countries considered, was in
appreciation of its clear and well documented roadmap on developing the
aviation sector, with particular emphasis on safety and security and said the
country stands to reap more benefits than the training of its aviation security
personnel by the best available security experts”. Such other benefits, he
said, include the provision of, and exposure to hi-tech Aviation Security
equipment and the generation of revenue from training of aviation security
personnel from other countries.
He also informed the
Minister that the up-coming United Nations General Assembly is billed to make a
proclamation on Aviation Security with specific reference to Nigeria. This
according to him, underscores the importance attached to the project as a
flagship and high profile one which the country is privileged to be a
beneficiary.
Minister of State for
Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, expressed gratitude of the Government and people
of Nigeria to the United Nations for recognizing and identifying with the
government visions and efforts to establish and nurture a world class aviation
industry in Nigeria that is basically founded on Safety and Security, assured
of government readiness to provide all that is necessary for effective take-off
and operation of the two institutes to be located in Abuja and Lagos.
The Minister said the
decision of government to establish a Ministerial Committee on Airport Security
on assumption of office, defined the importance it attached to Aviation
Security as a critical component of the overall national and international
security system and emphasized the recognized need for an integrated
international counter-terrorism strategy which the Organization is set to
address through the establish of the schools.
Sirika also described the
choice of Nigeria as an Aviation Security training centre by the United Nations
body as a massive boost to the nation’s desire to become a regional aviation
hub and also heighten investor confidence in the country.
The project is to be fully
funded by the United Nations, and delivered by the United Kingdom Department of
Transportation while Nigeria is expected to participate in the provision of
training premises and supply of low-cost aviation training equipment, amongst
others.
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