Yaounde: Stakeholders strategise to boost civil aviation security, curb illegal activities at airports.

The session, which took place at the Training School of Cameroon Civil Aviation Authority, CCAA, in Nsimalen, aimed at following up the effective implementation of the objectives of the National Programme for the Facilitation of Air Transport, known by its French abbreviation, PNFTA. 

The programme, it should be noted, was initiated by the Head of State, President Paul Biya, who set up the Committee, as the body responsible for coordinating coherent inter-institutional and sectoral strategies for the effective implementation of the actions carried out and measures prescribed towards improvement of services at airports.

Opening the session, the Minister of Transport, Jean Ernest Massena Ngalle Bibehe, who is Chairman of the Committee, stressed that the ultimate aim is to “improve the passenger experience, speed up the processing of goods, make our airports more secure and strengthen their competitiveness, in a context of sustained growth in air traffic on our territory”. 

In the same vein, he invited the various members to pool constructive synergies, in particular by “putting in place operational tools, harmonising procedures, digitalising flows, strengthening human capacities and rigorously monitoring compliance and performance” in line with the requirements of the International Civil Aviation Organisation, ICAO, standards, designed to maintain the high level of security of Cameroon's civil aviation system. 

Minister Ngalle Bibehe also called on the various administrations, members of the Committee, to enhance their professionalism, strengthen their collaboration and share a spirit of responsibility.

Curbing illegal activities at airports 

The Director General of Cameroon Civil Aviation Authority, CCAA, Paule Avomo Assoumou Koki, said the National Programme for the Facilitation of Air Transport, created by the Head of State on May 2, 2025, is a “framework that gives clear orientation and responsibility assigned to the different actors at the airport” to help to improve user experience. 

“There are many actors at the airport and before that programme signed by the Head of State, there was no coordination. Now we have a clear coordination. We have the Cameroon Civil Aviation Authority that has been designated as the competent authority to coordinate and to collect all the information of all those administrations,” she disclosed. 

Assoumou Koki noted: “We are sure that we are going to implement it. This is the first session after the signature of the programme. When we start to implement it, we will see the difference”. 

She added that other issues they are trying to address in the Committee are illegal activities at the airport. 

“We want to reaffirm that airports are for passengers and those who are taking care of passengers and those who are serving the passengers. It is not for illegal commercial activities. We have authorised commercial activity within the airport, and outside of the airport. Sometimes it gives problems even in terms of security. So we want to be strong on how we are going to tackle it,” she stated.

During session, the members of the Committee focused on the persistent threats and challenges (pockets of insalubrity, recurrent illicit activities, illegal occupations, etc.) that still tarnish the image of airports. 

They also examined and assessed the current security situation at the country's various airports, and formulated recommendations likely to make a significant contribution to the ongoing improvement of the level of security at airport facilities. 

The session was also attended by the Minister Delegate to the Minister of Transport; Resident Representative of the Agency for Aerial Navigation Safety in Africa and Madagascar, ASECNA; Director General of Cameroon Airlines Corporation, Camair-Co; Representative of the Director General of Aéroports du Cameroun, ADC S.A., and representatives of the member administrations of the Committee.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3499 of Thursday July 10, 2025