The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) have urged Federal Government to intensify efforts geared towards enhancing safety of runways at the nation’s airports.
The aviation groups made this known at the Runway Safety Go Team Workshop organised by the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) in Lagos, on Monday.
The workshop was organised in collaboration with various aviation agencies including the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).
The Tide source  reports that the workshop had as its theme: “Runway Incursion, Excursion and Confusion.’’
Mrs Adefunke Adeyemi, IATA Regional Head for Member (Airline) and External Relations for Africa and the Middle East, said safety was a fundamental element that underpinned aviation.
Adeyemi said that without safety, it would be impossible for the aviation industry to continue to witness the growth it had recorded in recent years.
She said: “the runway is so integral to the success of aviation. In order to assist states reduce incidents on the runway, ICAO initiated the establishment of Runway Safety Go Team at all international airports.’’
Also speaking, the representative of ICAO, Mr Albert Taylor, called for sustained collaboration between the various agencies to improve safety on the runways.
“ICAO and IATA are here to ensure that all that is intended for improving runway safety is done,’’ Taylor said.
Also, the Managing Director of NAMA, Mr Ibrahim Abdulsalam, said that the workshop was expected to culminate into the inauguration of runway safety teams for Abuja, Kano and Port Harcourt Airports.
Abdulsalam said the agency took the initiative to facilitate the programme because the responsibility for the safety of aircraft landing and taking off on the runway as well as surface movement of aircraft rests with NAMA.
He also said that as an ICAO requirement, the runway safety workshop would further prepare the nation for the ICAO Universal Safety Oversight Audit slated for March 2016.
Abdulsalam expressed optimism that as fallout of the workshop, Nigeria would have developed the required expertise to be able to ensure collaborative effort among stakeholders responsible for runway safety at the nation’s four major airports.
He said: “The establishment of runway safety teams is a critical aspect of aviation safety contained in ICAO Resolution A37-6 which makes it a requirement for runway safety teams to be established at all airports in the AFI region.
“The responsibility of the runway safety teams whose membership cuts across aviation agencies, airlines and security agencies include regularly assessing runways, taxiways, aprons and associated facilities to ensure that identified or potential hazards are promptly mitigated.’’
On his part, the Director General of NCAA, Captain Muhtar Usman, said out of the 27 aircraft incidents or accidents that occurred in the last five years, 56 per cent were caused by runway incursion and excursion.
Usman, who was represented by NCAA’s Director of Operations, Capt. Abdullah Sidi, maintained that the authority would continue to partner with other agencies to improve air safety in Nigeria.
Speaking similarly, the Managing Director of FAAN, Mr Saleh Dunoma, said the agency’s topmost objective was to ensure operational safety at all airports in the country.