Keyamo unveils special marshals to boost airport standards, curb misconduct

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has pledged to establish a team of special marshals tasked with conducting periodic, unscheduled visits to airports nationwide to evaluate workers’ professionalism.

This was disclosed in a statement signed by the minister’s Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Tunde Moshood, and made available to The PUNCH on Thursday.

According to Moshood, members of the special marshals will be drawn from the media, representatives of state governors, members of non-governmental organisations, and other stakeholders.

Announcing the initiative, the minister’s aide stated that the development aims to enhance airport hygiene and professionalism while ensuring passenger expectations are consistently met.

The statement read, “Recognising the critical need for our airports to adhere to the highest standards of customer service and operational excellence, the Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr Festus Keyamo, SAN, has introduced new initiatives to address the expectations of the travelling public who use our airports daily.

“These key measures are designed to improve service delivery and environmental standards at these facilities. One of the initiatives is the appointment of voluntary Special Airport Marshals.

“The Minister, in collaboration with relevant stakeholders, will appoint voluntary Special Airport Marshals in cities where airports are located. These marshals, consisting of public-spirited individuals from the media, non-governmental organisations, and representatives of state governors, will conduct unscheduled visits to airports. Their role will be to monitor staff conduct and assess the overall hygiene and conditions of the airports.”

Moshood further explained that the marshals will report directly to Keyamo, who will issue directives to the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria based on their findings.

“With this initiative, the Honourable Minister will no longer rely solely on official reports from airport managers but will also incorporate independent observations from the voluntary Special Airport Marshals.

“This will introduce an additional transparent layer of supervision to our airports, ensuring that airport managers, who receive monthly allocations for airport maintenance, are held accountable for their responsibilities,” he added.

It was also revealed that the minister, along with senior officials and federal legislators overseeing aviation, will independently visit airports on unannounced dates to review workers’ activities.

“The Honourable Minister, accompanied by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, the Managing Director of FAAN, key directors of the Ministry and FAAN, and members of the Senate and House Committees on Aviation, will conduct unscheduled monthly inspections of airports nationwide.

“During these visits, the Honourable Minister will personally participate in various operational activities, demonstrating leadership and emphasising the importance of diligent service. He will also address airport staff, listen to their concerns, and encourage them to maintain professionalism and serve the public courteously,” Moshood added.