The implementation of the Executive Orders on Ease of Doing Business may have ushered in a regime of efficient service delivery at the airports. The results of the orders have started manifesting. The orders have reduced the turnaround time for passengers, airlines and redesigned airport security architecture by restricting some security agencies to some parts of the terminal. But it is all at a price, reports KELVIN OSA OKUNBOR.
When Acting President Yemi Osinbajo signed three Executive Orders aimed at facilitating the ease of doing business, many did not envisage that the results would start manifesting so soon.
Although, the Orders essentially sought to save time and cost, promote transparency and efficiency in the business environment, some critics of the administration, including the oppistion, were not convinced that a new order wasi n the offing.
However, develoments at the nation’s airports where the implementation of the Orders has begun, may have proved such them wrong. The directive, The Nation learnt, has ushered a new regime of efficient service delivery at the airports.
For instance, in compliance with the orders, the authorities at the nation’s airports have since introduced new check-in procedures. The move, which was in accordance with global standard in check-in procedures for passengers, was sequel to the introduction of a central screening and check-in point for passengers, irrespective of the airlines they are travelling with.
Consequently, all customised check-in counters used by airlines have been removed at the Lagos International Airport. This was to improve passengers’ profiling and check-in processes in line with globally accepted operational standards. The development, described as a win-win for passengers, airlines and security agencies, was a clear departure from the past.
It will be recalled that a long table allegedly used by officials of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Quarantine Service, Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) and other agencies to extort money from passengers under the guise of checking passengers’ luggage was strategically placed beside airlines’check-in counters.
According to sources conversant with the arrangement, the table was ‘christened’ the ‘Dash Table’, which in local parlance means table for extortion. The arrangement, it was gathered, was responsible for the unnecessary delays in passengers’ check-in, which sometimes ran into several hours.
This was at variance with what obtained in other parts of the world where it takes less than 20 minutes for passengers to complete their check-in and screening procedures.
The security architecture at the airports has also been redesigned, following the implementation of the executive order. This was after the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) notified stakeholders, including airlines, passengers and the public, to ensure compliance.
FAAN’s spokesperson, Mrs. Henrietta Yakubu, said under the new security arrangement, NIS, NCS, and NDLEA officials, who work at either the departure or arrival halls, must appear in uniform with undetachable name tags when interacting with passengers.
Yakubu said: “Please note that NIS, Customs and NDLEA must always appear in uniform and with undetachable name tags; DSS is for intelligence gathering while the Nigeria Police Explosive Ordinance Disposal Unit (EODU) will only function on call at the baggage hall.” He also said FAAN has directed airlines and the affected security agencies to remove, forthwith, physical check tables at the departure hall of the terminal.
Also, desks belonging to Customs and NDLEA have been removed, as officials of FAAN security are now the only authority mandated to carry out the last screening on passengers. This has significantly reduced the turnaround time for passengers and airlines.
Agencies, foreign airlines kick
The new operational procedure at the airports has not come without controversies. Investigations by The Nation show that the emerging order at the airports has not gone down well with officials of some of the affected security agencies.
Before the new arrangement, some security agencies are alleged to have been extorting passengers under the guise of screening their documents or luggage at the departure halls. But the redesigned security architecture may have finally put an end to such extortion, which was why the affected agencies are kicking.
Some foreign carriers are also said to be reluctant to comply with the abolition of physical screening of passengers’ luggage. For instance, American carrier Delta Airlines recently expressed mixed feelings about government’s directive to abolish physical screening of passengers and their luggage.
This was when officials of the airline recently clashed with Nigerian aviation security personnel over the implementation of the Executive Order as it affects manual checking of passengers luggage at the Lagos International Airport.
The airline specifically claimed that such directive was not entirely in tandem with the operational procedures prescribed for its operations by the United States Transportation Safety Administration (TSA).
Delta Airlines argued that the US agency provides some level of manual checks by any airline flying to the US. It insisted that its staff would manually check some of the passengers. It even threatened to stop the boarding of Nigerian passengers from the airport.
FAAN Managing Director Saleh Dunoma however clarified that Delta Airlines did not entirely violate government’s directive to stop manual checks on passengers’ luggage at the Lagos Airport, but only insisted on carrying out some checks.
Dunoma said: “It is not anything peculiar. They (Delta Airlines) want to do certain checks; we will tell them where to do the checks. We are not stopping anybody from checking anything, so long as it is in line with global standard of practice. The Executive Order does not stop that. We will handle Delta Airline issue.”
But the Director-General of Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Captain Muhtar Usman, was not swayed by Dunoma’s position on the matter. Apparently worried by Delta Airlines’ non-compliance, Usman sought and had a meeting with a team from the US’s TSA.
The meeting, which held in Lagos, according to sources, was to clear the grey areas on the airlines’ operations in Nigeria as they affect check-in procedures at the airports. The US team was led by its TSA Attache, West African Region, Mr. Gary Pleus. He was accompanied by the Economic officer of the US Consulate General, Mr. James Plasman.
At the meeting to explore ways of resolving the impasse, the airline was said to have explained that it had no plans to violate the implementation of the Executive Order by the Nigerian Government as it affects check-in procedures at Nigerian airports.
Delta AirLines said: “Delta Airlines works closely with aviation authorities around the globe. Delta Airlines is actively working with both the authorities in Nigeria and the US to understand the new presidential directive and ensure we remain compliant with the respective authorities.
Delta is subject to US Government and Nigerian Government security regulations. The safety and security of Delta’s customers and crew is the airline’s number one priority.”
While the furore generated by the Delta Airlines perceived refusal to comply with the directive was yet to settle, another foreign carrier from Europe was also said to be bent on manual check-in of its passengers departing Nigeria.
A reliable source hinted that the European airline had officially written to the NCAA and its logistics company in Lagos, insisting that apart from the machine screening of passengers, the law required it to also conduct manual screening randomly on some of its passengers.
The airline based its argument on the US’s TSA, which says that at least 25 per cent of luggage or persons travelling to the US must be checked manually by any carrier operating to US.
The Nation, however, learnt that the airline failed to carry out manual check-in of any of its passengers for two weeks following the removal of the check- in tables used by both the airline and security agencies by FAAN.
Apart from check-in procedures at the airports, some aviation agencies including the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) have also been affected by the implementation of the Executive Order.
For instance, following the directive, NAMA has updated its website to allow airlines and passengers get acquainted with the requirements, conditions and procedures for doing business or obtaining services from the agency.
These include NAMA’s fees and timelines necessary for the processing of applications for services. The agency is also collaborating with other agencies including FAAN, NCAA on how to harmonise operational processes in order to achieve the single user interface at airports as directed by government.
The agency has also gone a notch higher, charging airspace managers across Nigerian airports to ensure strict and unhindered compliance to the implementation of the Federal Government’s Executive Orders.
Its Managing Director, Capt. Fola Akinkuotu, gave this charge in a keynote address at an enlarged management meeting with the nation’s airspace managers, which held in Lagos, recently.
The NAMA boss said: “We must individually and collectively, in our operational and administrative procedures, resolve to make the Executive Orders successful as it gives us the opportunity to correct our shortcomings, perfect the system and also set the template about what excellent service delivery should be.”
Akinkuotu urged airspace managers to ensure that staff under their different jurisdictions is conversant with the spirit and letters of the Executive Orders to ensure seamless implementation nationwide.
He expressed optimism that acceleration of approvals and permit processes as contained in the Executive Orders would significantly increase revenue, attract investment and boost economic activities in the country.
He warned that there will be no room for wilful or deliberate negligence of established procedures, as defaulters must be ready to face appropriate sanctions. He expressed gratitude to them for their collective effort at ensuring safety of air travel within their domains.
The NAMA boss called for synergy of operations among departments in the agency and even agencies within the sector. According to him, “it is only when there is unity of purpose, teamwork, harmony and co-operation at all levels that the agency can realize its cardinal vision.
FAAN, operators comment
Commenting on the compliance with the new check-in procedures, Dunoma said: “Desks that have been there for manual search are no longer there. The checks are being done at appropriate locations and this has created a tidy departure hall.
“This has improved the ambience of the departure hall. Of course, we have some issues that have to do with the first day normally in any operations. We are trying to resolve that.”
He advised passengers to come in good time, so they can accomplish the process as scheduled. “There are some new locations and process of screening, so the earlier they come the easier for stakeholders especially the airlines and the security agencies,” Dunoma said.
On his part, an Aviation Security Expert and Managing Director of Centurion Securities Limited, Group Captain John Ojikutu (rtd), commended government for the new regulations, noting however, that there is still room for improvement.
Ojikutu said the removal of check-in tables was in line with the agitation of industry experts, who have, for many years, called on government to redesign the security procedure for passengers check-in at airports.
Similarly, aviation industry think-tank, Aviation Round Table Safety Initiative (ART), praised government for the bold steps aimed at addressing administrative and safety issues at airports.
In a statement by its President, Gbenga Olowo, the ART said: “The ART unequivocally commends the Presidency for the recently issued Executive Orders designed to facilitate the ease of doing business in the aviation sector of the economy.
In furtherance of this unique presidential initiative, our body also appreciates the dismantling of the “dash table “at our international airports, which has improved passenger facilitation.
“FAAN, NAMA and trade unions should desist from embarrassing the country with acts of barricading Check-in-Counters of airlines in order to collect outstanding payments.”
Olowo urged the agencies to develop efficient and effective ways of collecting dues, rates and remittances from operators in the industry rather than strong arm tactics that could lead to break down of law and order in the airport environment.
He also said that the internal communication system among all agencies involved in the management of the air navigational services should be immediately overhauled for a modern technology driven with accurate and effective communication system to promote aviation safety.
The ART President observed that the communication gap between airline operators and Air Traffic Controllers often result in air & ground returns, abortion/cancelation of flights, which jeopardises flight safety and results in financial losses to airline operators.
“The agencies should diligently discharge their duties to operators in the industry by ensuring that air navigational services and ground handling services both at the point of departure and destination are more efficient in order to prevent incidences of flight clearance /approval at departure and denial of landing rights at destination, Olowo said.
He added that agencies that render services at a fee should also be insured, while also compensating for financial losses resulting from negligence and failure to discharge responsibilities to operators, clients or passengers. This is the hallmark of corporate governance and ease of doing business,” Olowo pointed out.
“ART assures the general public of its preparedness to support all measures by government and its agencies in the promotion of flight safety and passenger convenience towards the revival of the Nigerian economy and the ease of doing business,” he concluded.
The Group Managing Director, DANA Air, Mr. Jacky Hathirami, praised aviation agencies for the commitment they have so far exhibited in implementing the directive.
He said: “Apart from the fact that aviation industry is critical to the economy, I believe the executive order will remove unnecessary bureaucracies at the airport, provide solutions to a lot of anomalies in the system and open a vista of opportunities not just in the industry but all sectors.
Hathirami said there was need to commend aviation agencies for their swift reaction in carrying out the order. He said what was left was to see how these changes in airport check-in procedures will have positive impacts on domestic airlines.
“We are committed to offering the best services to the flying public with the support of aviation agencies in tackling the multiple challenges affecting the sector,” the DANA Air boss assured.
Perhaps, to underscore the new dawn that has come in the wake of the executive order, a US bound passenger, identified as Mrs. Margaret Bolurin, a fortnight ago, forced officials of Nigerian Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS) at the Lagos Airport to issue her a receipt for the money paid for obtaining a screening certificate at the terminal.
Her insistence on the receipt from NAQS officials was sequel to her suspicion of under hand dealings by the agency, which kept intending passengers waiting for hours to manually check their luggage.
Bolurin said the conduct of the NAQS officials, who asked her to pay N2, 500 as certification fee for the ground pepper, melon and dried bitter leaves, did not align with the new screening and check-in procedures.
Bolurin said: “Some officials here at Lagos Airport are not happy over the implementation of the Executive Order, because it is going to block their habit of extorting passengers under any guise.
“Image officials of NAQS asking me to pay N2, 500 for travelling with grounded pepper, melon and dried bitter leaves. I complied, insisting that the payment must be receipted. They tried to kick, but I insisted. Ultimately, they had no choice but to issue me a receipt.”
The US bound passenger wondered how this will facilitate the ease of doing business. She asked, “Is this how to ensure passenger facilitation at our airports and bring it to global standards?
Why are they keeping their receipt and screening certificates at the sixth floor of the terminal building and extortion is going on at the first floor? Where is seamless facilitation here?”
While insisting these are questions the authorities must provide answers to, Bolurin, however, said the implementation of the Executive Order has restored sanity to Lagos Airport. She, therefore, urged FAAN to ensure continuity.
The overall objective of the Executive Orders signed into law by the Acting President was to stimulate a rebound of an economy severely battered by recession and also fast-track Nigeria’s transition to a non-oil economy.
The stipulation of sanctions and punitive measures meant to address violations of the Executive Orders was seen by private sector operators as indication that a new dawn was in the offing.
Interestingly, there are indications that the new order may have started manifesting, at least, at the nation’s airports. The consensus, however, is that sustained implementation is the only way to ensure the success of the orders.
