Improved Exports: FAAN to Develop, Implement Cargo Bill of Rights

Chinedu Eze

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has assured that the lingering problem of delays and multiple charges for cargo at the airports would soon be a thing of the past.

The assurance was given by the Managing Director of the agency, Mr. Kabir Yusuf Mohammed who said that this would be achieved with the implementation of the recommendations of the Aviacargo Roadmap committee that was set up by the agency some time ago.

Mohammed promised to support the development of new Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for the operators in the cargo terminals in Nigeria, adding that FAAN would also implement a new service-level agreement that would overhaul the whole cargo operations in Nigeria. 

Mohammed made this known during the monthly briefing to him by the Coordinator of the Committee, Ambassador Ikechi Uko.

He observed that by implementing the Cargo Bill of Rights, the new SOPs and service-level agreements, the airports would effectively become a corruption free zone, adding that these new measures would improve the integrity of the exports from Nigeria and would reduce the rejection of goods.

In his presentation, Uko told the FAAN boss that the committee did not make presentations in the last months because of the field trip its members embarked on, disclosing that five- stage project plan has only two legs left to complete the assignment and seeks the support of the FAAN Managing Director to proceed with the remaining parts of the job, which would include collation and report writing of the findings by subject matter experts.

Uko said the committee has identified 10 points for implementation and among the highlights of his presentation include the FAAN Cargo bill of rights that guarantees the swift, transparent and efficient handling of any good that comes into any Nigerian airport and delivery to the owner.

He also said  the implementation of a new five level secure supply chain pathway will improve the quality of aviacargo business in Nigeria.