Ahead of Cameroon’s hosting of ICAO security audit: Civil aviation security stakeholders urged to apply measures in reducing vulnerabilities.

The call was made yesterday in Yaounde. This was during the first annual session of the National Civil Aviation Security Committee, NCASC, for the year 2023. 

Presiding at the session, the Minister Delegate to the Minister of Transport, Njoya Zakariaou, representing the Minister of Transport, Jean earnest Massena Ngalle Bibehe, who is the president of the committee, said the security audit in October will be to assess Cameroon’s “ability to ensure adequate national oversight of its civil aviation security activities, and the level of compliance with recommended standards and practices, through the effective implementation of the crucial elements of a civil aviation security oversight system”.

He added that the results will contribute to country's reputation abroad. 

“It is important to stress that the challenge is to achieve 80% implementation of the crucial elements of the national safety supervision system,” Minister Zakariaou said. 

He added that the session held in a context of resumption of activities following the health crisis that severely impacted the air transport sector. 

“It is in this context that the Aviation Authority has just recruited 105 Operational Security Agents, AOS. These new recruits will reinforce the operational capacities of our airport platforms,” he disclosed.

He added that: “In preparation for the audit, standard operating procedures have been reinforced at international airports, and the implementation of these procedures has enabled the interception of illicit practices in the movement of goods and people”.

“In the same vein, the regulatory framework for civil aviation security is currently being revised. All these actions are aimed at consolidating the day-to-day effectiveness of our national civil aviation security system,” he noted.

Minister Zakariaou said all these is clear indication that Cameroon is resolutely committed to securing its airports, which augurs well for the development of air transport.

“I would therefore like to take this opportunity to invite all the administrations involved to do their utmost to ensure that the skies remain safe and secure, and to continue to reassure travelers about Cameroon as a destination. I have no doubt whatsoever that the follow-up of the recommendations of the last NCASC meeting, the airport security review, and many other subjects that will be addressed during this session, will contribute to the continuous improvement of the level of security at our airports,” he stated. 

He thus called on the stakeholders to work hard to find solutions that will benefit the civil aviation security system. 

Talking to the press shortly after the opening of the session, the Director General of Cameroon Civil Aviation Authority, CCAA, Paule Avomo Assoumou Koki, said several measures have been taken to boost security at Cameroon’s airports.

“There is an increase in access control; it is not everyone who can go to some spaces that are reserved for passengers. There is also a remarkable increase in the way we are checking passengers, their luggage and all what gets into planes. All these is to prevent arms and threatening objects from getting into planes,” she said.

“Aviation is still a target and what we are doing is to make sure that nothing that can harm passengers gets into a plane,” the CCAA Director General added. 

She added that the session brings together all the actors in the civil aviation sector; police, gendarmerie, customs…along CCAA. 

During the session, she said, committee members will be looking to ensure that the measures that have been put in place for security in the civil aviation sector are well applied.