FG urged to restore MAKIA’s glory
By UMORU IBRAHIM

THE federal government has once again been called upon to give attention to the provision of standard equipment and facilities at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA) to enable it regain its lost glory.
The call was made by Dr. (Alhaji) Maitama Sule, Danmasanin Kano at the launching of emergency response ambulances provided to Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.
Dr. Maitama who was optimistic that the airport will soon regain its glory, said in the past, MAKIA used to be the most important and busiest airport in the country with a number of international flights daily. He further lamented that sadly, there is hardly a single international flight these days, adding that the situation should not be allowed to continue.
The former deplomat who expressed happiness with the involvement of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in the mainstream of the security system in the airport, reminded the members of various security organisations operating at the airport of their dual roles of securitymen as well as image makers of the country.
According to him, securitymen in strategic places like the airport are the first contact of a visitor to the country, adding, whichever picture painted through their conduct will invariably form the basis with which the visitor will rate the country.
The renowned orator who also expressed satisfaction with the taking over of the corps by the federal government, admonished the members to live up to expectation, because according to him, though the corps was hitherto voluntary, it was nevertheless a serious organization as people like him and Aminu Dantata were one-time members.
In his speech, the airport manager, Alhaji Ibrahim Dayyabu Suleiman said the involvement of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in the security system of the airport was unprecedented though not coincidental.
He said because of the seriousness the airport management had given to the entire project of the corps’ participation in the daily security of the airport, it had not only allocated an office block to its members but had resolved in principle to include them in the security committee of the airport.
Giving a brief history of what led to the participation of the corps in the airport security, the AM stated that FAAN security was statutorily charged with the responsibility of providing airport security, the task has become enormous and complex that something was urgently required to enhance the security system.
It was on this ground that the management approached the state unit of the Nigeria Security and Defence Corps, just as the negotiation was going on, he said, the national headquarters of the corps initiated a plan to station men and emergency response unit of ambulances in each of the nation’s international airports.
Mallam Dayyabu said that since some of the things the airport would be dealing with include disaster management, the management of the airport also decided to include the corps in the airport’s disaster management committee.
In his speech, Mr. S.B. Taffa, the ACG finance of the corps who represented the commandant-general told the gathering that since the primary responsibility of the corps was to provide security, then the most appropriate place for them to operate was the airport because, according to him, airports are public utilities, involving huge investments in materials and human capital which needed to be protected.
He said from the definition of disaster, airports are hazardous environments and all elements are highly vulnerable to disaster which is why adequate attention by security operatives was necessary, he said.