FG To Rehabilitate Baggage System At Lagos Airport

The Federal Government (FG) has concluded plans to rehabilitate the baggage system at the Murtala Mohammed Airport Lagos and resuscitate the abandoned Airfield Lighting (AFL) project at the Kano airport.

In his opening remarks at the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) stakeholders virtual meeting, FAAN’s Managing Director, Captain Hamisu Yadudu, said ahead of the reopening of all international airports apart from Lagos and Abuja on August 29, the Federal Government has outlined many projects to be executed for the safety, security and comfort of passengers in the pandemic period.

According to Captain Yadudu, approvals have been given and some of the facilities have been procured with installations presently ongoing.

Among these projects include the installation of the Automatic Tray Retrieval System (ATRS) in Abuja and Lagos, which is expected to be completed before the end of September 2020.

Others, the FAAN boss said, include the ongoing resuscitation of Murtala Mohammed Airport, MMA UPS/Inverter system almost completed, airfield lighting at the domestic runway in Lagos currently awaiting the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) approval to enable the contractor move to site.

He said: “New check-in counters with weighing scales have been imported for MMA awaiting installation, we expect it to be completed latest by mid- September 2020 and Mobile Common Use Self Service (CUSS) that can be converted to Airline check-in (CUTE) counters imported and awaiting installation amongst others.”

Yadudu stated that the agency which largely has been dependant on its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) had suffered over 90 per cent revenue loss in the last six months and would suffer this reduction in revenue for the next few years up to when the global travel returns to the pre-COVID level.

According to him, the reopening of both the local and international airports was at a huge cost to the Authority with little or no cash inflow.

He explained that in spite of the drastic drop in revenue, as at date, FAAN had managed to ensure that all her local airports have commenced domestic operations having met the requirements by Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, NCAA and other regulatory bodies and have been issued clearance to reopen.

Yadudu, however, assured that his priorities were to closely collaborate with stakeholders to ensure that collectively, the vision of making the Nigerian Aviation industry a pride in the West /Central African sub-region was achieved.

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