….urges organization to register their officers with FAAN to be allowed access
….as organizer of IPOC trains over 70 participants
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) wants protocol officers attached to various organizations to register with the protocol unit of the agency for easy facilitation of their clients and top executives.
To this end, FAAN says henceforth only rebranded FAAN Executive Protocol Service unit will be allowed to carry out commercial protocol activities at airports.
Managing Director of FAAN, Captain Hamisu Rabiu Yadudu while addressing protocol professionals at this year’s two day International Protocol Officers Conference, IPOC in Lagos says there was the need for proper crowd control at airports, while still maintaining effective social distancing orchestrated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
On the registration of protocol officers, Yadudu, who was represented by the General Manager Environment, Mr. Nehemiah Auta explained that presently the agency was working on the digitalization of the entire process to ensure that those concerned would not have to come to the airports to register, make bookings or make payments.
“When this system is completed and launched very soon, you will be able to complete the entire process online in the comfort of your homes or offices.
Also, in addition to the need for travellers to abide by all laid down Covid-19 protocols when travelling, we will like to encourage you all as professionals in the field to help us sensitize your top executives that only passengers would be allowed into our airports”.
The FAAN boss said due to the present limitations in terms of capacity, the Management was very mindful of the safety of air travellers noting that in the spirit of the season that it was advisable that passengers abide by laid down Covid-19 protocols to ensure a healthy industry.
“It becomes more important for us in the aviation industry, as in addition to the above, it also helps our security apparatus by reducing, eliminating the activities of touts and unscrupulous elements at our airports”.
Yadudu noted that Protocol as a profession was very important in the operational efficiency of serious-minded organisations, stressing that a lapse in protocol function at the individual, family, organizational or national level was capable of resulting in collateral damage both financially and in terms of reputation.
He started that nations and organizations have been grossly embarrassed and deals, diplomatic relations have been marred in the past due to flouts in cultural, greetings, gifts and other protocols.
The FAAN boss said for protocol as a profession to achieve its purpose as a key service offering in general facilitation, it must be consistent, standardized, timely and responsive saying that the ideal protocol officer must be polite, respectful, friendly, and must be able to communicate effectively.
Yadudu encouraged the participants to always abide by the ethics of the profession and continue to be comported in professional manners.
Organiser of IPOC, Mr Fortune Idu said the conference was put together for protocol officers to understand basic business ethics, protocols requirements for dealing with international businesses and international diplomatic issues.
Idu said that conference was a combination of workshop, training, courses and general discussions platform where all the protocol officers come together to share ideas, experiences and raise questions and find answers.
He said the conference started as a travel facilitation workshop which graduated into protocol officers conference.
” It was conceived ten years ago and now has materialized today.”
He noted that the pandemic had brought a lot of things which the protocol officers must know as a result of restrictions from various countries and must align with the new
normal.
Idu said the participation over the years have been amazing and this year over 70 participants across the country were in attendance despite the pandemic.
Some of the participation said they had gain a lot from the conference especially now with the pandemic which had brought about a new way of handling facilitation.
Mr. John Oko-odeh, head of Protocol of a specialized government agency says,
“It has exposed me to newer skills in Protocol management. We operate in a new environment now after covid, the focus of this training is how to adapt practice and protocol services to meet the new normal and IPOC, is an annual conference that sharpens our skills, helps us to understand new trends, close the gaps, gives us opportunity not only to network but to bring our practice at par with best international practices.”
Mrs Obianuju Akunwan, works with the department of petroleum resources
“Protocol services in Nigeria is one very essential unit of planning, logistics, service delivery that over time has not been given much attention as it should have so, this conference is one that should help that arm of service develop more legalities, guidelines on how to operate to enable processes in planning travels because it is not just planning, protocol is very holistic, so this is to help develop guidelines.”
