The Nation Newspaper

Tag: airport

  • Outage at Lagos Airport

    There was outage for about two hours at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, yesterday, throwing some parts of the terminal into temporary darkness.

    According to a source, the outage was caused by a cut in supply from the national grid connecting electricity to the airport from the Ejigbo Power Station by the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN).

    It was learnt that there was outage at the airport about 12pm, and the generator was activated after one hour, throwing the terminal into temporary darkness.

    A source hinted that due to the capacity of the generator, it could only supply power to operational areas of the terminal.

    Some offices in the terminal were in darkness.

    Last week, the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) assured that its power improvement project had been completed and was being test run for inauguration.

    The project is expected to resolve the challenge of incessant outage at the airport from the PHCN main supply.

    The Managing Director of FAAN, Mr. George Uriesi, has spoken of plans to partner the private sector to deliver an independent power plant to the airport that would be powered by gas.

     

  • FAAN, Bi-Courteny disagree over revocation of lease agreements

    The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) on Tuesday announced the termination of two leases granted Bi-Courtney Limited at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja for the development and management of a four-star hotel and conference centre.

    The yet to be completed four – star hotel and conference centre is opposite the MMA 2, terminal , Ikeja, Lagos.

    Bi- Courtney in a reaction dismissed the termination of the lease Bi- Courtney insisting that there is a court injunction restraining FAAN from carrying out such actions.

    According to the general manager, corporate communications of FAAN, Mr Yakubu Dati, the authority had In two separate letters, dated April 19th 2012, informed Bi-Courtney that the leases granted it in respect of the two projects had been terminated as a result of breaches committed by the company in the agreements it signed with FAAN on the two projects.

    Dati explained that by the said agreements, the two projects were to be completed in 2008 but FAAN graciously extended the construction period to July, 2009 but Bi-Courtney failed to complete the two projects at the expiration of the extended period.

    He said :” By that termination order, the demised premises, in respect of the two projects, have reverted to FAAN automatically, in line with the terms of the agreements.”

    However,  in a statement, the public relations officer of Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited, Mr Steve Omolale- Ajulo said :” For FAAN to say it has terminated the projects and taken possession of the land is laughable and a clear disobedience of subsisting court orders.”

    “Nigerians should please ignore them, as they are not saying anything new. Like they themselves admitted in their latest statement, they first issued the statement purportedly terminating the two projects on April 19, 2012.

    “As it is usual with them, they have re-issued the same statement in order to confuse aviation stakeholders and continue to create crises in the sector.

    “Every aviation stakeholder knows that it was the same old statement, issued last year that they have rewritten and presented to the media as a new one to deceive the public.

    “FAAN knows that it cannot terminate the projects because of the court injunction. There are consequences for such an action.”

    Ajulo, further  said: “Justice S.J. Adah of the Federal High Court, Ikeja Division, had, on April 23, 2012, issued an order restraining the Attorney-General of the Federation, Inspector-General of Police, Managing Director of FAAN and FAAN itself (all defendants in the suit we filed against them) from commencing, continuing and/or completing any actions or permitting the commencement, continuance and/or completion of any action.

    “This in respect of taking over possession of and/or interfering with Applicant’s possession of the Four-Star Hotel and the Conference Centre situate at the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal Two, Ikeja, under construction pursuant to its letters reference: FAAN/1600/0210213 and FAAN/1600/0210214, both dated April 19th, 2012, or any other letter, instrument or instruction whatsoever pending the hearing and determination of the Applicant’s application for interlocutory injunction.

    “The court order, originating motion, affidavit in support, exhibits and the Notice of Arbitration were all served on FAAN and its Managing Director, and received and signed for, on their behalf, by one Mrs. C. Akinola at 11.55a.m on April 24th, 2012,” Ajulo stated

  • Why Ekiti opted for cargo airport, by Fayemi

    EKITI State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, has said that the state is committed to its plan to build a cargo airport.

    When completed, he said the airport will aid transportation of agricultural products to Lagos and other big markets in the country.

    The governor, who spoke at the opening session of the Strategic Growth Forum Africa, 2013 in Cape Town, South Africa, said the main target of the state’s huge investment and partnership in agric business is to corner a sizeable portion of the Lagos food market.

    The Lagos food market is put conservatively at N3 billion per day.

    Fayemi revealed that asides the airport, which will aid movement of goods and persons, Ekiti State has also concluded plans to build an agric conditioning centre near the airport.

    Fayemi, who addressed investors, financiers and businessmen from across the continent, said the state is focusing more on cassava and rice cultivation.

    He pointed out that incentives have been provided for its crop of young commercial farmers as well as international companies in partnership with the state.

    Other areas of interests, according to him, include the extractive industries, wood processing and eco tourism.

    Stressing the state has put in place mechanism that will aid safety of investment, the governor said the state had put in place relevant laws that guarantee the safety of investment.

    He added that the return of many international development agencies to the state is a proof that the state is a good place to do business.

     

  • House invites minister, four airlines over Kano airport row

    House invites minister, four airlines over Kano airport row

    The House of Representatives Committee on Aviation has summoned the Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah and four international airlines denied flights into the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport.

    They are Ethiopian Airlines, Turkisk Airlines, Emirates Airlines and Asky Airlines.

    The minister invited the airlines because of their inability to respond to some issues raised by the Ministry of Aviation during an investigative hearing yesterday.

    The committee arrived at the decision when contradictions in the submission of the ministry and correspondences between the airlines and the ministry became obvious.

    A member of the committee, Aliyu Madaki, who presented documentary evidence to support his position, said it was regrettable that there was a deliberate policy to discriminate against the airlines to the detriment of economic activities in Kano.

    The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Aviation, Ms Anne Ene-Ita, who represented the minister, denied claims by one of the airlines that its request to ply Abuja, Kano and Lagos was denied by the ministry.

    “We had a Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) agreement with the airline and all it needed was to activate it. We do not have to deny it because we had an agreement.

    “As for the second airline, it was a bilateral agreement. We have met in Abuja but we need to go there in return and we have scheduled that for next month,” she said.

    The committee, however, adjourned the meeting when the permanent secretary claimed that the airline in question did not apply for Lagos and Kano routes. There was no representative of the airline to respond.

    The Chairman of the committee, Nkiru Onyejeocha, said it has become inevitable for the parties involved to be present at the next meeting to respond to the issues raised.

     

  • Reps to probe Oduah over Kano airport

    Reps to probe Oduah over Kano airport

    The House of Representatives is to investigate the Minister of Aviation, Mrs. Stella Oduah, for not allowing four international airlines land at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano..

    The affected airlines are Turkish Airlines, Ethiopia Airlines, Emirates Airlines and Skyline.

    This followed the adoption of a point of order raised on a matter of urgent public importance by Aliyu Madaki (PDP, Kano).

    He said the airport, being the first in the country, having been built in 1903, does not have to be so treated.

    “We are also aware that the choice of the airport by these airlines was informed by the number of passengers they convey from the airport to other parts of the world.

    “However, one is concerned that despite applications by the airlines, the minister refused them permission to begin their operations.

    “It is disturbing that the refusal to grant the permission to these airlines is capable of retarding business growth in Kano and by extension Nigeria.”

    According to him, the refusal to grant the permits to the airlines runs contrary to President Goodluck Jonathan’s transformation agenda.

    “We are, however, desirous of the need to create a conducive environment for investment and to encourage investors and that is the reason why we have to intervene,” he said.

    Speaker Aminu Tambuwal mandated the Committee on Aviation to investigate the allegation.

    The committee has four weeks to submit its report.

  • Dollars at the airport

    Dollars at the airport

    It is alarming that within three weeks the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) seized over $10.2m (N1.6bn) in Lagos alone, according to its Head of Operations, Mr Iliyasu Kwarbai. The most publicised of these seizures involved 24-year-old Abubakar Sheriff who was apprehended at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport with $7m (N1.1bn) as he boarded his flight en route Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), and more recently Akinyele Adetule, a security official of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), who was caught with $1.4m (N218m) at the same airport after beating security checks.

    Although Sheriff was actually scheduled to fly, he had falsely declared that he had $4.5m on him, rather than $7,049,444, which was discovered after a search. He claimed that he was acting as a courier for 20 people who hired him to convey the money to Dubai. Adetule, on the other hand, was not an intending passenger, but used his official position as a FAAN worker to evade security points at the airport, with the aim of handing over the money to the yet-to be- identified owner at the boarding area. He said he was promised N10, 000 for the shady job.

    “He was neither on duty nor on an official assignment,” his employers stated. Kwarbai said of him: “He wore his tag and was thus able to move freely in the airport without drawing suspicion. He was carrying a bag and it went through the scanner. It is curious that such a huge sum went through the scanner undetected. Or was it a case of conspiracy and collusion?”

    This question raised by the EFCC official is significant as the arrest seems to have confirmed suspicion that there are insiders who are members of syndicates operating at the airport. But there are other equally important posers. What is the source of such huge cash? Why would people choose to move such bulk cash out of the country without using the banking system? How come so much money is in the possession of some people in a society where poverty is so widespread? Travellers leaving the country are statutorily required to declare cash in excess of $10,000 (N1.56m). However, under the provisions of the Money Laundering Act, it is not sufficient to declare excess cash; the onus is on the person making the declaration to explain the source of the excess cash and the reason for the export. Against this background, it is worth mentioning that a Federal High Court in Lagos has ruled that Sheriff should forfeit 25 percent of the undeclared $2m to the Federal Government. But this judgment does little to uncover the origin of the cash and why the banking system was ignored.

    The EFCC has noted that globally, bulk cash smuggling is usually associated with proceeds of crime and money laundering, and that legitimately earned funds are usually processed through the banking system. According to the agency, “Our experience in the last few years indicates an emerging trend of bulk cash smuggling to Europe, Middle East and North America with the attendant consequence for capital flight. Some Nigerian citizens are routinely arrested at airports in Europe and North America for currency smuggling, though no such arrests have been recorded in the Middle East. But in all cases, the money is lost as they are never repatriated back to the country.”

    These incidents call for greater vigilance at our airports by the security operatives charged with the responsibility of tackling such wrongdoings. In addition, the authorities must ensure that all security personnel at the airports have the correct orientation to appreciate the lofty demands of their work, and shun the temptation to make fast money by aiding and abetting crime.

  • Hajj leader praises airport facilities

    Justice Umaru Abdullahi,Amirul Hajj and leader of Katsina State delegation to this year’s Hajj has expressed satisfaction with the facilities put in place at the Umaru Yar’adua International Airport, Katsina.

    Justice Umaru Abdullahi made the expression shortly after he led other members of his delegation to inspect facilities at the airport.

    He was particularly happy with report that Katsina International Airport has the best landing and take-off facilities in the country.

    While commending the state governor for his foresight in appointing capable hands in the delegation, the Walin Hausa promised to do their best to ensure the successful Hajj operation.

    Conducting the Amirul Hajj round the Airport, the Head of Operations, Alhaji Saddiq Gusau said the management of the airport is putting in place security network to ensure a hitch-free airlift of intending pilgrims.

    He lauded the state government for supporting the authority in an effort to make this year’s airlift a success.

    Meanwhile, government officials to this year’s Hajj in Katsina State have been called upon to work hand in hand to ensure success of Hajj exercise.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Falconets abandoned at Lagos Airport

    THE Nigerian Under-20 women national team, Falconets who finished fourth on Saturday at the FIFA U-20 Would Cup hosted by Japan were left to cater for themselves on their arrival at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos.

    No member of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) was in sight to receive the team which prompted members of the contingent to leave for their different destinations after many hours of futile waiting for NFF officials.

    Some of the players, who spoke to newsmen on condition of anonymity, fumed at the cold gesture of the NFF. “We are disappointed for not being welcomed or received on our arrival home. Although our best was not enough to earn us a respectable result at this outing, God knows that we gave our best”, said one of the Falconet players.