From Our Correspondent
The Federal Government is set to provide customised explosives and narcotic detection screening systems for five international airports.
Mr Festus Keyamo, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, announced this at a news briefing after the Federal Executive Council meeting on Monday in Abuja.
TheNewsZenith reports that the equipment, which will have remote and dual views, would help to reduce stress for passengers.
The equipment will cost the Federal Government N3.28 billion. Contractors are expected to complete the instaliation12 months from the date of payment.
International airports to receive the equipment are those in Abuja, Enugu, Lagos, Kano and Port Harcourt.
Keyamo said the procurement was coming on the heels of the government’s concern for long delays and complaints by passengers using the airports.
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The minister said since he assumed office, he has been receiving reports of terrible experiences facing passengers at the airports.
“They (staff of various agencies) have to physically search passengers’ bags. You see various agencies lined-up and they will be dipping their hands into your bags.
“We thought we should do something like the TSA in America where bags will pass through detection machines.”
He added that the machine would detect explosives and any other things, and “that’s the end of the search’’.
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The Minister also hinted that the Council ratified the Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) with the Republic of Guyana. Both countries signed the BASA in 2014.
According to him, the agreement will ensure lesser air travel time for passengers going to most European countries.
On the Nigeria Air project, Keyamo said the Council has suspended the project. He added that President Tinubu had received a report on the next line of action.
He declined further comment on the project, saying he would not want to pre-empt the decision of the President on it.
“At the right time, the government would inform Nigerians about the circumstances of the airline and when a new one would take off.”
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