A logistics company GWX has praised Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL), operators of the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal Two Lagos (MMA2), for successfully managing the world-class facility in line with global best practice in the past 10 years.
MMA2 operated under the Public-Private Partnership concession agreement between the Federal Government and BASL, a member of The Resort Group, is the first successful privately-funded Design, Build, Operate and Transfer (DBOT) airport terminal in Nigeria.
A statement signed by its General Manager Corporate Services Bright Aghogban, GWX congratulated Bi-Courtney on the successfully pioneering the PPP initiative in airport management.
It also lauded the BASL management for consistently keeping the sprawling terminal in international standard since 2007.
The statement reads: “MMA2 is indeed a great success story of a pioneering PPP initiative in the aviation industry in Nigeria. It reinforces the belief that if given a chance, Nigerians can build Nigeria and make the economy to become one of the 20 greatest in the world in line with the Federal Government’s vision 20:2020.
“We also congratulate the Federal Government on giving PPP initiative a chance to thrive in the industry.”
Aghogban said the company will continue to partner Bi-Courtney to raise the bar on air transport safety.
According to him, GWX’s partnership with MMA2 on cargo facilitation has led to enhanced level of safety, security and efficiency in cargo processing and airlifting at the world-class facility.
“The whole system at the cargo facility is 100 per cent automated – giving little or no room for human errors. Indeed our partnership with Bi-Courtney has brought some degree of safety awareness among stakeholders in the cargo segment especially among our cargo agents.”
We have taken time to train them on various areas of the cargo business especially on security and safety,” he said.
Tag: Bi-Courtney
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Firm hails Bi-Courtney on anniversary
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Bi-Courtney to Fed Govt: pay N200b debt for ‘failure to hand over airport terminal’
•MMA2 handles 20m passengers, 400,000 flights in 10 years
Airport terminal operator Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL) has urged the Federal Government to pay over N200 billion to it for failing to hand over old domestic terminal, otherwise known as General Aviation Terminal (GAT), Lagos.
Its chairman Dr. Wale Babalakin said the payment was necessary after BASL was awarded damaged by the Federal High Court to the tune of over N132 billion in 2012.
He said the amount increased to N200 billion, owing to the revenue the terminal operator would have collected as revenue for flights and other commercial activities at the old domestic terminal.
Babalakin spoke to reporters at the 10 years’ anniversary of Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal Two (MMA2), in Lagos.
He called on government to honour the terms of the concession agreement it signed in 2007, so as not to frustrate more private sector players interested in funding airport infrastructure.
He said said: “We are seeking the assistance of all and sundry for the payment of the N200 billion owed to Bi-Courtney Airways Services by the Federal Government. As far back as 2012, the Federal High Court awarded damages of N132 billion to Bi-Courtney Airways Limited.
“Six appeals against the judgment in the Court of Appeal have been dismissed. Even the appeal to the Supreme Court was also dismissed. No nation can truly achieve its potential, if it treats its dynamic citizens this way.
“We call on the regulatory authorities to honour the concession agreement, which has been approved by every level of government, including the Presidency and confirmed by all the strata of the courts in Nigeria.
“This is the only way to reward our pioneering efforts .We are grateful to Allah that our eye opening effort that had led to the upgrading of some airports in Nigeria and the decision of the Federal Government to concession airports.”
Babalakin said his firm welcomes the idea of concessioning, it is done properly and in accordance with the Rule of Law.
He called on government to assist domestic carriers, which are struggling to keep their operations afloat.
He said the firm was disposed to plans by government to concession 22 airports, if the process is transparent.
He said the firm has explored necessary mediation channels to impress it on government to honout its agreement, but the efforts were yet to produce the desired results.
He said: “In 2008, the former President Musa Umaru Yar’Adua presided over meetings to resolve all issues about MMA2, despite the directive given by the former president, aviation authorities are yet to honour the concession agreement.”
He said aviation authorities are frustrating efforts by BASL to begin regional flights from MMA2, despite approval secured since 2007.
Babalakin said: “We got approval since 2007 to operate regional flights from MMA2, but the relevant authorities are frustrating our efforts. We could trace it to both the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA). It is the airlines that are affected, because they burn aviation fuel moving their aircraft from MMA2 to the international terminal. This would not arise if they had allowed us to operate regional flights from MMA2.”
The Chief Executive Officer of BASL, Captain Jari Williams, said MMA2 processed over four million passengers annually.
He added that MMA2 is the first privately-funded Design, Build, Operate and Transfer (DBOT) terminal in Nigeria.
It was inaugurated in May 2007 by former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
MMA2 has handled over 20 million passengers, 400,000 flights and created employment opportunities for over 100,000 people in the past 10 years.
The terminal is home to retail outlets, shops, restaurants and banks offering a wide range of products.
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Bi-Courtney celebrates MMA @ 10
Activities marking the 10th Anniversary of the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal Two (MMA2) start on Sunday with a thanksgiving service at Archbishop Vining Memorial Church, Ikeja, Lagos, at 10am.
MMA2, operated under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) concession agreement between the Federal Government and Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL), a member of The Resort Group, is the first successful privately-funded Design, Build, Operate and Transfer (DBOT) airport terminal in Nigeria. It was inaugurated in 2007 by former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
A statement by the Head of Corporate Communications of BASL, Steve Omolale, noted that the thanksgiving service will be followed by a press conference and the unveiling of the star prize of the Fly and Win promo, a Kia Rio saloon car, partly sponsored by Dana Air, on Monday by the Chairman of The Resort Group, Dr. Wale Babalakin (SAN).
Other consolation prizes to be won in the promo include 15 flight tickets to various destinations donated by the airlines operating from MMA2.
The statement said there will be a Jumat service on Friday to be attended by dignitaries from various walks of life as part of the celebration, which will be rounded off with the grand finale of the promo on Friday, May 26, 2017, where prizes will be presented to various winners.
To participate in the promo, a passenger flying through MMA2 terminal to any destination is encouraged to collect a ticket at the Screening Point, fill his or her details, drop it at the Final Departure and wait for the final draw on May 26, 2017.
The statement further explained that BASL would continue to show “a demonstrable commitment to aviation infrastructure development in Nigeria, having proven to be a credible, reliable and resilient partner that consistently sets and maintains high standards in terminal operations in the last one decade of MMA2’s existence”.
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Abuja Airport closure: Bi-Courtney promises quality service
Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL), operator of the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal Two (MMA2), Lagos, has assured domestic airlines and passengers wishing to use the Kaduna Airport as alternative to Abuja Airport of quality service.
BASL kicked against suggestions that the General Aviation Terminal (GAT) in Lagos be expanded to accommodate the expected rise in passenger traffic during the Abuja Airport closure.
Spokesman of the company, Steve Omolale, quoted the Chief Executive Officer, Captain Jari Williams, in a statement that “MMA2 is adequately positioned 24/7 to accommodate any airline willing to process its passengers through our facility, as we are home to five airlines, including Aero contractors, Dana, Medview, First Nation and Azman. We still have 70 per cent un-utilised capacity for passenger facilitation”.
The statement added that BASL will dedicate a section of MMA2 to any airline having challenges in processing its passengers at GAT and guarantees that safety, security and specific passenger facilitation requirements will be put in place to address the airlines’ specific needs within 24 hours.
It added: “MMA2 has un-utilised capacity with well-trained staff who are in position to handle any such requests. We are also ready for regional flight operations as facilities for this are 100 per cent available at our terminal and have remained unutilised since.”
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Bi- Courtney honours honest cleaner at MMA2
Poised to promote the culture of honesty, dignity and hard work in the work place, the management of Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL), operator of the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal 2 (MMA2), has honoured an honest cleaner with Spakleen Professional, the concessionaire in charge of MMA2 upkeep.
The gesture, according to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of BASL, Captain Jari Olubunmi Williams, was designed to promote the culture of truthfulness and uprightness in the work place.
The cleaner, Mr. Oluwole Abayomi, while at his duty post on Saturday, July 30, this year, saw a passenger bag containing cash, two cheque books, one international passport, two iPhone 5 handsets, and a Toyota Car particulars, among other items, and handed the bag over to security officials at the terminal. The items were later transferred to the owner, who was full of praises for Oluwole’s honest conduct.
While eulogising the singular Oluwole’s, the CEO said, “what the young man has done, without being prompted, is a reflection of what Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL) instils in its staff and service providers that honesty, service delivery and good customers relation pay off.”
He noted that the vision of the terminal operator is to keep to best practices, doing things the right way, and provide top notch services from time to time to satisfy passengers’ needs and expectations and advised Oluwole to continue the good work, noting that honesty with hard work has a reward.
The Head, HR of BASL, Mrs. Ikeoluwapo Erinoluwa said that the gesture was to promote the values that Oluwole’s action symbolised and to encourage others to emulate him.
While Oluwole was also promoted to the position of supervisor by his organisation, the management of BASL presented to him a Certificate of Commendation, a table fridge and a cash token.
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Change of baton at Bi-courtney
Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL) has named Captain Jari Williams as its new Chief Executive Officer.
His appointment is coming as BASL management seeks to consolidate its achievements, the statement said, adding that the firm was repositioning to provide world-class template for the planned concession of four airports by the government.
The appointment, the statement said, also aligns with BASL Chairman Dr Wale Babalakin’s vision to continuously infuse cerebral thinking in the development of critical infrastructure within and outside Nigeria to ensure the highest level of safety, efficiency and excellence in service delivery and asset management.
Williams succeeds Christophe Penninck, who contributed immensely to the growth of BASL into a world-class organisation and MMA2’s emergence as the number one airport terminal in Nigeria.
Williams is a Federal Aviation Administration/International Civil Aviation Organisation certified Airline Transport Pilot holder, having over 10,000 flight hours locally and internationally in addition to various ratings on airplanes.
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Demuren to Fed Govt: resolve Bi-Courtney concession row
Former Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) Dr. Harold Demuren has urged the Federal Government to resolve the crisis surrounding its agreement with Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL) over the Murtala Muhammed Airport 2 (MM2), Lagos.
Demuren spoke in an interview at the sidelines of the just concluded International Air Transport Association (IATA) conference in Abuja.
Demuren said for investors to embrace the sector, the crisis on the public-private participation (PPP) involving BASL should be appropriately addressed. He warned that without amicable resolution of this, private investors would be skeptical to come into the sector. He spoke on:” Integrating Aviation in Economic National Planning”.
He said: “There is need for PPP in aviation in Nigeria as it is obvious that government cannot do it all. But with the experience of the Murtala Muhammed Airport Two, MMA2, Lagos, government has not shown good faith. Such crisis in the MMA2 PPP must be resolved, or else investors would not invest their resources in the sector.”
Arik Air Managing Director Mr. Chris Ndulue urged government to reach an agreement with BASL for the industry to move forward.
Discussing the topic, ‘Proliferation of Taxes and Charges in Aviation,’ Ndulue declared that the operators are not happy with the level of infrastructure provided by the Federal Government despite the high charges and taxes imposed on the operating carriers in the industry.
Ndulue said private investors would be in the best position to offer qualitative services to airline operators, but insisted that this may not be possible with the present crisis surrounding the BASL agreement with the government.
He urged government to resolve the issue, stressing that once this is done in a transparent manner, more private investors would come to the sector.
He said: “Nobody is happy with charges and services rendered by government in the Nigerian aviation industry…”
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Demuren to FG: Resolve Bi- Courtney concession row
Federal Government has been called upon to urgently resolve the crisis surrounding its agreement with Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited, BASL, in order to drive the development in the aviation sector.
Speaking on the topic, ‘Integrating Aviation in Economic National Planning,’ at a two-day International Air Transport Association, IATA, in Abuja, former director-general of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, Dr. Harold Demuren, said it is pertinent for government to involve private investors in its plans to drive the development of the sector.
Demuren however said for investors to embrace the sector, the current crisis on the public-private participation, PPP, involving BASL should be appropriately addressed. Demuren warned that without amicable resolution of this, private investors would be skeptical to come into the sector
He said: “There is need for PPP in aviation in Nigeria as it is obvious that government cannot do it all. But with the experience of the Murtala Muhammed Airport Two, MMA2, Lagos, government has not shown good faith. Such crisis in the MMA2 PPP must be resolved, or else investors would not invest their resources in the sector.”
Speaking in the same vein, managing director of Arik Air, Mr. Chris Ndulue, urged government to reach an agreement with BASL for the industry to move forward. Discussing the topic, ‘Proliferation of Taxes and Charges in Aviation,’ Ndulue declared that the operators are not happy with the level of infrastructure provided by the Federal Government despite the high charges and taxes imposed on the operating carriers in the industry.
Ndulue specifically said private investors would be in the best position to offer qualitative services to airline operators, but insisted that this may not be possible with the present crisis surrounding the BASL agreement with the government.
He urged government to resolve the issue, stressing that once this is done in a transparent manner, more private investors would come to the sector.
He said: “Nobody is happy with charges and services rendered by government in the Nigerian aviation industry. It is important that the issue of Bi-Courtney is resolved so that we can move on. Private investors need to come into the sector because as time goes, government won’t be able to provide the services it presently renders.”
It would be recalled that the crisis, especially over the years of operations of the terminal before handing it over to government has engulfed the agreement between the Federal Government and BASL. While BASL claimed that the agreement was for 36 years, the Federal Government said it was for 12 years. Also, BASL, since inception has not been able to operate regional flights from the terminal as spelt out in the agreement.
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Bi-Courtney and Lagos-Ibadan Expressway
SIR: A distinguished man of letters and former Nigerian ambassador to Germany, Prof. Akinjide Osuntokun, wrote about the sorry state of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in his March 31, column in The Nation.
The article, entitled ‘Lagos-Ibadan Expressway is jinxed’, came with factual and emotional dimensions. It is yet another page in a series of spirited newspaper commentaries on the troubled highway reconstruction project.
The article reflects the pains in the hearts of road users, but deflects from the fact that government is to blame for their woes, not Bi-Courtney Ltd.
Osuntokun stated: “The way things are going on in this country, we may die under the weight of irresponsible litigations.”
That statement would get any unprejudiced reader wondering what other options there are for an investor who had a partnership arrangement with the Federal Government (FG) to provide good infrastructure for Nigerians but lost over $300million, while government officials were blocking his every move to make progress on the project. It took the FG more than two years to even approve the design for the road. Then, the same government that failed to play its part well, turned around to terminate the concession agreement, and engaged a new concessionaire in a shady and unlawful manner.
The article further stated: “As for the lawsuits, there is need for out of court settlement… If out of court arbitration fails, this government should be strong enough to damn the consequence in the public interest. I mean heaven will not fall! The government which owns the land should declare the company a trespasser and build the road. Enough of Turenci!”
Declare Bi-Courtney as a trespasser? This is difficult to reconcile with Prof. Osuntokun’s insistence, elsewhere in the article, on doing things properly. If there were any trespasser on this project, it is government. Trespass, going by definition, is the act of being present on another’s land without lawful excuse. Bi-Courtney is the rightful owner of the highway by virtue of its concession that was purportedly terminated.
Events have shown that government is the meddlesome interloper and self-interested intruder on the highway project. The writer should have exposed the rot in the system and how the country is fast becoming a cemetery of dreams for investors.
Bi-Courtney, being a responsible corporate citizen, had demanded for arbitration; that’s a peaceful conflict resolution mechanism enshrined in the concession agreement. It’s meant to guard against the so-called ‘irresponsible litigations’, but the Federal Government shunned that demand thereby plunging the project into crisis.
While addressing the issue recently, the Minister of Works, Babatunde Raji Fashola, said: “Regrettably, while not going into the merits and demerits of the FGN’s cancellation of the concession, it sends a not-welcoming message to foreign investors if the decision was without basis or influenced by politics…
“If that was the case, as a foreign investor, I will be asking myself the kind of treatment that awaits me as a foreigner if the government does that to a citizen…”
Why is Bi-Courtney fighting for justice?
Some people seem to have forgotten that the FG made Bi-Courtney do palliative works, repeatedly, on the entire road for three years, and even reclaimed the completely damaged Aramed end of the road near Ibadan at a huge cost, while the company was held back by bureaucratic bottlenecks in the Ministry of Works.
While stating that it was not opposed to the reconstruction of the road, Bi-Courtney had noted, among other things, that it had never received a kobo from the FG or any of its agencies, unlike what the same government had turned around to do for another would-be concessionaire that was being paid N2billion monthly for the same project and was also provided with unlimited guarantee.
A guarantee was all that Bi-Courtney needed, and had asked for, but was denied in 2012, when its international partners – Group Five, were ready to roll.
There is danger ahead if we fail to expose the rot in our system and make amends. Government must be guided to do the right thing at all times.
Now that the FG is committing additional N40billion to the road project, there’s an urgent need to dialogue with Bi-Courtney, apologise to the company for all the unconstitutional actions by the FG, and work out modalities on how it can be part of the project. Shutting the firm out is not the way to go.
- Olusegun Kehinde,
Lagos.
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Lagos-Ibadan Expressway: Court declines Bi-Courtney’s injunction request
A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos declined to grant an injunction request by Bi-Courtney Highway Services Ltd, seeking to restrain the Federal Government to stop action on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway following the termination of a concession agreement with the firm.
The court found the preliminary objection of the Attorney General of the Federation dated Nov. 16, 2015 challenging the jurisdiction to hear and determine the case as “meritorious’’.
Justice Ibrahim Buba made the order in a ruling obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday.
He dismissed Bi-Courtney’s bid to procure an injunction thereby giving the government the nod to go ahead with the reconstruction plan for the expressway.
Former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration had terminated the concession agreement with Bi-Courtney and subsequently got financiers including the Infrastructure Bank for the project which was handled by Julius Berger Plc and RCC.
Minister of Works, Power and Housing Babatunde Fashola, had reacted to the ruling, saying in spite of the legal hurdle, the project had been captured in the 2016 budget with billions of naira appropriated for it.
“This action was filed outside the three months prescribed by the Public Officer Protection Act. It is accordingly dismissed and other issues have become academic.
“The Preliminary objection shows clearly that the action was filed more than three months. Therefore, there is no argument that this action is not statute barred.
“This is the considered ruling of the court,’’ Buba said.
The Attorney General had challenged the court’s jurisdiction on the case while Motorways Asset Ltd had brought a motion on notice on Feb. 3, 2016 for the court to set aside its earlier order of mandatory injunction of Dec. 11, 2015.
The firm is owned by Lagos lawyer and businessman, Dr Wale Babalakin,(SAN).
The court has adjourned the case to May 12.