The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, unveiled plans to appoint a team of special marshals tasked with monitoring staff conduct and assessing the hygiene and operational conditions at airports across the country.
The initiative, announced through a statement by Keyamo’s Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Tunde Moshood, aims to improve airport cleanliness, service delivery, and professionalism to meet passenger expectations.
“Recognising the critical need for our airports to adhere to the highest standards of customer service and operational excellence, the Honourable Minister has introduced new initiatives to address the expectations of the travelling public who use our airports daily,” the statement read.
The special marshals, drawn from various sectors including the media, non-governmental organisations, and representatives of state governors, will conduct unscheduled visits to airports.
Their findings will be reported directly to the minister, bypassing conventional channels of official airport reports.
Moshood explained that this approach introduces an independent and transparent layer of supervision, ensuring accountability among airport managers who receive monthly maintenance allocations.
“With this initiative, the Honourable Minister will no longer rely solely on official reports, but will also incorporate independent observations from the voluntary Special Airport Marshals,” he added.
The Minister will personally lead unscheduled monthly inspections, accompanied by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), and key members of the Senate and House Committees on Aviation.
During these visits, Keyamo will actively participate in operational activities, engage with staff, and address their concerns, underscoring the importance of professionalism and courteous public service.
This initiative, according to Moshood, reflects the ministry’s commitment to holding airport managers accountable and ensuring world-class service delivery in Nigerian airports.
