The permanent secretary, Federal Ministry of Aviation, Binta Bello, has praised the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, for contributing to the sharp decrease in the incidence of bribery and corruption at the nation’s airports.

Binta stated this during the ICPC stakeholders’ meeting on Corruption Risk Assessment in the aviation sector held at the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, office, Murtala Muhammed Airport at the weekend.

The permanent secretary indicated that passengers trooping into the country now testify to the good conducts by the airport officials instead of the open bribery and corruption of the past.

She said the stakeholders’ meeting was part of efforts to tackle corruption in the aviation industry and lauded the ICPC for the initiative and partnership.

“We cannot do it alone, hence our partnership with ICPC. We started this partnership since 2014 October, there had been tremendous changes in the attitude of our officials, particularly in Lagos and Abuja airports,” she stated.

Chairman of the ICPC, Ekpo Nta, who was one of the key moderators, said the reason behind the improved surveillance to the aviation sector was because airports were the gateways to the international community.

Nta expressed the hope that open corruption by officials would be a history at all airports in the country after the corruption risk assessments in the aviation sector.

“International Airports are first point of contact to the outside world. It speaks volumes about Nigeria’s image,” he observed.

“We hope to achieve the same standard of services offered in any recognised airport in the world. When corruption is eliminated in the aviation sector, passenger would have safety,” the ICPC chairman said.

“I am very happy at the state of affairs at our airport. The days when officials openly demand for bribe are gone,” he further stated.

Nta, however, reassured that the risk assessment was in no way a probe into the sector’s activities and stressed same procedures were being carried out in the education sector.

He explained that the commission was working to achieve one of its mandates of enlightenment for attitudinal change among Nigerians to curb corruption and insists that none of the ICPC‘s officials will be stationed permanently at the airport.

He tasked security agencies at various airports give their very best in their duties with screening of passengers which must not exclude their bosses while passing through the airports.

The well-attended stakeholders’ meeting had over 200 in attendance included representatives of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, customs, National Airspace Management Agency, NAMA, Nigerian Quarantine Service, Accident Investigative Bureau, AIB, immigration and travel agents.