By Alusine Fofanah, Press Attache, Abuja, Nigeria.
A high powered Sierra Leone Airports Authority (SLAA) delegation comprising the General Manager, Mr John S.A. Sesay ; the head of Operations, Mr John S. Sesay and the Chief Security Officer (C.S.O) Christopher Kindama Kargbo arrived on board Arik Airline on Sunday December 4th at Lagos and Monday December 5th, at the Nnamdi International Airport, Abuja.
The purpose of the visit was to attend the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and the European Civil Aviation (ECA) conference from the 6th to 7th December 2011 at the Ladi Kwali Hall of Sheraton Hotel, Abuja, Nigeria.
At the conference, Dr. Harold Demuren, the Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority gave the welcome address and went ahead to point out a series of security threats to airports affecting both internal airport employees and outsiders.
The Minister of Aviation of Nigeria, Hon. Princess Stellah Oduah gave the keynote address. Minister Oduah made reference to the 25th December 2009 incident of Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab, who was caught with an explosive heading to the United States of America. She concluded by citing some of the criminal activities such as: Terrorism, pilfering, surveillance and disclosure of confidential information of sensitive security areas and so on. She referred to them as "insider threats."
According to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) of Nigeria, proactive measures need to be taken in order to mitigate major security breaches or acts of unlawful interference with civil aviation at the airports.
On his part, the General Manager of the Sierra Leone Airport Authority (SLAA) John S.A. Sesay said that the sensitization or conference was so important that it awakens participants and injects more spirit into them for alertness in combating any form of threat to Airports Authorities the world over.
G.M. Sesay further stated that security equipment such as detectors, scanning equipments, C.C.T.V. cameras, communications gadgets are needed as well as technical training of security personnel by assisting in providing scholarships.
Photo: Sierra Leone’s new Press Attache in Abuja, Nigeria, Alusine Fofana (first from left) and the delegation from Sierra Leone. Former Abuja press attache, Pasco Temple, is said to be heading for the US to work as press attache in the Washington embassy.
Comments