The Nation Newspaper

Tag: FAAN

  • 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

  • FAAN to build IPP at Lagos airport

    FAAN to build IPP at Lagos airport

    The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) said it planned to build an Independent Power (IPP) plant to generate electricity for Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.

    The Managing Director of FAAN, George Uriesi, who disclosed this in Lagos while fielding questions from aviation correspondents, said the project would be financed under a public-private partnership arrangement.

    According to Uriesi, the plant will be powered by gas and will assist in addressing the shortfall of electricity supply to the airport.

    He also said that some Chinese investors would soon start construction of new international terminals in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Kano.

    Uriesi said FAAN had worked out a new template to attract private investors into the aviation sector.

    “We have also convinced the Federal Government on how the investments will be funded within six months of signing any concession agreement,’’ the News Agency of Nigeria quoted the FAAN boss as saying to journalists.

    He said standard facilities would be provided at airports across the country for them to improve their service and meet international standard.

  • Akande, firm query court’s powers to hear FAAN’s suit

    Akande, firm query court’s powers to hear FAAN’s suit

    Businessman-politician, Chief Harry Akande and his company, AIC Nigeria Limited, have asked a Federal High Court in Lagos to strike out a suit filed against them by the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) for lack of jurisdiction.

    The duo argued, in a preliminary objection, that the suit amounted to an abuse of court process because they had filed a similar suit in relation to the dispute between them over a piece of land measuring about 11.654 hectares located within the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos. AIC had planned to utilized the land for a hotel project.

    FAAN, is by its suit marked: FHC/L/CS/90/2013 seeking to perpetually restrain the defendants and their agents from tampering with its (FAAN’s) possession of the land, which it said forms the subject matter of the “invalidated leased agreement” between them, dated February 17, 1998.

    The plaintiff accused the defendants of trespass and urged the court to award N150million in damages against them. It also seeks N50m as cost of the suit.

    AIC and Akande argued that since the plaintiff’s principal claim is trespass, the Federal High Court lacked the jurisdiction to entertain a suit on such issue.

    They further argued that it would amount to an abuse of court process should the court entertain plaintiff’s suit despite the pendency of their earlier suit marked: FHC/L/CS/ 1058/2010 and in which they seek among others, an order of specific performance against FAAN in respect of the same land.

    The defendants averred that the land in dispute in the suit by FAAN is the same with that on which they were currently before an arbitrator. They stated that the land was leased by FAAN to AIC for 50 years, starting from February 17, 2008.

    “AIC Limited was put in possession and was on the verge of commencing construction work when the plaintiff (FAAN) threatened to terminate the lease and take possession of the land,” the stated.

    They added that the development led them to file a case, in which the Justice Regina Nwodo of the Federal High Court granted an injunction on February 18, 2002 restraining FAAN from disturbing AIC in the possession of the land pending the reference of the dispute to an arbitrator for determination.

    AIC and Akande averred that the arbitrator, the late Justice Kayode Eso gave a final ward on June 1, 2010 and found in favour of AIC on all issues of fact and law submitted for determination by parties (FAAN and AIC).

    They stated that the arbitrator awarded damages of $48,124,000 in favour of AIC, but refused to grant an order of specific performance against FAAN on the ground that he (the arbitrator) lacks the machinery for enforcing such an order.

    AIC and Akande added that the arbitrator also refused to grant AIC’s prayer for an award for additional costs it would have incurred if it had completed the hotel project. They stated that the arbitrator’s refusal to grant both prayers formed the subject of their pending suit.

    They are, in the suit, praying the court to hold that the arbitrator was wrong and to remit the June 1, 2010 award back to the arbitrator to formally make an award for specific performance and award for damages claimed by AIC.

    AIC and Akande contended that if the main issues in their pending suit, which are whether or not AIC was entitled to specific performance to remain on the land and an award for damages, were resolved in their favour, there will be difficult for FAAN to maintain its suit of trespass against them.

    “It is certainly an abuse of court process for FAAN to institute this present action for trespass against AIC, the determination of which is likely to lead to conflicting decision of this case vis a vis the pending originating summons,” they said.

    They stated that they have been in peaceful possession of the land until FAAN allegedly invaded the land, which they had fenced and began construction, on January 5 this year, using uniformed men.

    FAAN, in its statement of claims, conceded to earlier leasing the land to AIC in 1998 for the purpose of constructing a hotel at the international wing of the Murtala Mohammed Airport.

    It added that upon re-evaluation of the lease agreement between them, it realized that the project posed security and other risks.

    FAAN stated that “Security concerns over the close proximity of the land to the runway and the airport main building,” informed its decision to stop AIC from proceeding with its construction on the land, and later offered it (AIC) a substitute, but which the company allegedly rejected.

    The plaintiff admitted being party to the arbitration, but contended that the arbitrator, on allegedly realizing that AIC had ceased to occupy the land, “specifically refused those claims as would give or restore possession to the defendants.”

    FAAN argued that by the award, the arbitrator did not only recognize its legal title over the land, but also its possession of the disputed piece of land. it accused the defendants of resorting to self-help by allegedly utilising thugs in their effort to possess the land.

    It contended that national security and security of individual lawful users and dozens of the airport are in grave jeopardy by the defendants’ purported invasion and presence at the airport. It prayed the court to grant its prayers.

    Justice Mohammed Idris has fixed March 1 for hearing in the suit.

  • FAAN, Immigration collaborate to secure airports

    The Federal Government is introducing fresh security measures at airports nationwide.

    This will include improvement in passenger facilitation on arrival from flight at major international airports, to reduce the time for luggage collection.

    To this end, the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, (FAAN) are to install state-of-the-art equipment at the international airports for the facilitation of passenger movement.

    Among the facilities to be given priority are Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

    The Comptroller-General of the Rilwan, Bala Musa, said during a visit to FAAN’s Managing Director that more counters and cubicles would also be built to resolve problems associated with passenger clearance at immigration points.

    He said the equipment would capture passengers’bio-metrics and photographs, which would be handy if there is need for them.

    Such information, he said, would be relayed at the border posts to secure the country’s gateways.

    Musa, who had earlier inspected the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, appealed to FAAN management to allocate additional offices to his men, who need more space to do their jobs, especially at the Abuja airport.

    He also spoke of plans to facilitate the training of more officers, who would undergo an exchange programme at airports in the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States, to see how their airports work.

    Soon, he said, NIS would roll out measures to checkmate the request for multiple passports by Nigerians through the 10 finger prints.

    Director of Airport Security, FAAN, Mr Wendel Ogunedo, said the authority is prepared to ameliorate passengers’ problem.

    He called on other security agencies at the airports to join hands with his organisation in securing the gateways into the country from unlawful interferences.

    Efforts, he said, were on to fast-track passenger facilitation with the completion of the arrival fingers’extension at the Lagos International Airport, which would be fitted with modern equipment to ease movement before the end of this month.

    It is for this reason, he said, that FAAN sent about 30 of its mangers to Manchester in the UK to understudy how the airport system works, to replicate the system in Nigeria.

    Ogunedo said the airport authority is poised to carry out pre-emptive measures to secure the airports against any breach.

    The government, he said, had signed an agreement with the Dubai-based Emirates Airlines for the training of AVSEC officials.

     

  • Lagos, Benin airports lead in abandoned planes, says FAAN

    The Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA), Lagos and the Benin Airport have the highest number of abandoned planes, the Managing Director of Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), George Uriesi, has said.

    He said FAAN may increase the number of teams dismantling dead and abandoned aircraft at airports nationwide.

    There are over 60 abandoned aircraft at the airside of airports across the country.

    The FAAN boss said many planes could have been abandoned at the Lagos airport because it once served as the base of their owners.

    He linked the high number of abandoned aircraft in Benin to the fact that it served as the operational base of Okada Air, hitherto one of the nation’s major operators.

    Most of the abandoned and moribund airplanes at Benin airport are the banned BAC 1-11.

    Uriesi said the team dismantling airplanes has successfully done three, adding that FAAN may increase the team to make the job faster.

    On the time frame for dismantling dead planes, Uriesi said there is no time frame, because some planes are bigger than others.

    He added that when FAAN issued ultimatums to owners of the dead airplanes to move them from the airport, many did not take the matter serious until the team started working on the aircraft.

    The United States (US) government, through a consular officer attached to its Embassy in Lagos, Mr Jerrod Hanssen, has hailed FAAN for remodelling of airports. Speaking when he led a delegation of economic officers to the corporate headquarters of FAAN in Lagos, Hanssen said it was necessitated by his government’s desire to extend a hand of fellowship to FAAN, which he said was making remarkable strides in repositioning airports.

    Welcoming the delegation, Uriesi said the upgrade of infrastructure at the airports was geared towards building a greater aviation future.

    Uriesi said FAAN is determined to change passenger’s experience of service delivery at the airports, stressing that airport terminals of the past were for travelling only, but modern airports have turned to commercial centres.

    He explained that some airports around the world would have folded up if they had relied solely on aeronautical sources of revenue, whereas the trend, which FAAN has adopted, is offering more commercial opportunities that will encourage business, entertainment and leisure at airports.

     

  • FAAN repairs six fire-fighting trucks

    The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has taken delivery of six fire fighting trucks sent to Kronenburg in the Netherlands for repairs.

    In a statement, FAAN said the vehicles would boost its drive to have adequate fire cover for the certification of the Lagos and Abuja airports.

    The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) prescribes a minimum of three fire fighting trucks to qualify any airport for certification.

    The Director of Airport Operations, Capt Henry Omeogwu, explained that the vehicles would help in containing any fire incident at the airport.

  • FAAN set to boost revenue

    FAAN set to boost revenue

    Kaduna Airport ready in April

    The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) is developing other income means to boost its non-aeronautical sources of revenue for the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos.

    Its Regional Manager, Southwest, Mr Edward Olarerin, said this what airports worldwide do.

    He said the era when an airport authority depended on aeronautical sources of revenue was over. Major airports in Europe, America and Asia, he said, were looking at how to improve revenue beyond the collection of landing and parking fees, ground rent and other charges.

    He said a new directorate of cargo has been created in FAAN to work modalities to improve its revenue drive outside the traditional sources, which are described as aeronautical.

    He said: “In most countries, their revenue is from non-aeronautical, but our case is quite the opposite here. That is how we have developed, but now the ministry and  FAAN administration are going to generate a lot from retails.

    “We are developing our retails and advertising areas. Now we have very competent general managers in retail  and they  have the mandate to develop that area to challenge the aeronautical sources of revenue. Apart from that, the directorate of cargo has been established to improve earnings from cargo.”

    He spoke of plans to enhance the operational capacity of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos. He said: “ The airport used to handle over1,500 passengers daily, but with the facility created, the airport can handle 6,000 passengers, that is about 10 wide bodied aircraft if not more.”

    Beside, the Kaduna Airport remodelling will be completed in April, General Manager, Corporate Communication, FAAN, Mr Yakubu Dati, has assured.

    In a statement, he said the contractor handling the project has completed 80 per cent of the job.

    Dati said the project is part of strategies in the Aviation Master Plan, which includes upgrade and development of dilapidated infrastructures, reformation of institutions, and the transformation of key airports into a network of domestic and international hubs.

    The airport will form a major hub with the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano. It will help to boost the economy of the state and increase the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

     

  • 65 Nigerians deported from Europe

    About Sixty-five Nigerians were on Friday deported from Europe, an official of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN)  has disclosed.

    The FAAN official who declined  to be named disclosed that the Nigerians were brought home aboard a chartered flight which landed at  Murtala Muhammed International Airport Cargo section in Lagos.
    He explained that   they  were deported from Spain, Bulgaria, Romania and the United Kingdom.
    It was learnt that they were brought back home for immigration and related offences.
    The source said that the deportees  arrived the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos  about 7:40 a.m. They were 48 males, 12 females and five children.
    Some of the deportees were  alleged to to possess   invalid travel  documents  while eight  including three females were deported for alleged criminal offences.
    The eight persons were reportedly  immediately arrested on arrival by policemen and taken to the Criminal Investigation Department, Nigeria Police  Ikoyi, Lagos, in a Toyota pick-up with registration number “Ontario AZKC-549”.
  • FAAN to certify Lagos, Abuja airports

    FAAN to certify Lagos, Abuja airports

    IN line with international best practices,the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) may certify the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja before the end of March after their fulfilment of certain requirements.

    The Director of Airport Operations, Captain Henry Omeogwo, said FAAN had started closing all the open items identified in the last airports audit by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) in 2006.

    Omeogwu said FAAN was collaborating with the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to ensure that the timeline set for the certification airports’ was accomplished.

    He said the government would ensure that all lapses observed in infrastructure were fixed in record time.

    Nigeria, he said, could not afford to have its 22 airports uncertified, as failure to do that could be a disincentive to foreigners who consider Nigeria a good destination to grow their businesses.

    Some of the requirements for airports certification include improved state of airport and air navigation infrastructure; adequate fire cover; standard runway length, width and markings; proper lighting and a comprehensive airport emergency plan, according to ICAO.

    Others are implementation and maintenance of a safety management system, standard operating procedures, which manifest through aerodrome operations manual, aerodrome emergency plan and aerodrome security programmes.

    Omeogwo said the airports’ certification would position the aviation sector as a key driver of socio- economic development.

    He said: “ We need the aviation sector as a key driver of the transformation agenda of the government. It is for this reason that government is carrying out massive infrastructure upgrade at airports across the country, such that the safety of the airports will be used as a fundamental strategy to achieve transformation. When our airports are certified, investors will come in to develop all sectors of the economy.

    “With certification, our airports will become safer, more efficiently run and profitable.”

    In a related development, the Director of Legal Services, FAAN, Mr Mark Jacob, has said the airport authority did not cede land to a concessionaire AIC Hilton Limited to build a hotel near the diplomatic car park of the MurtalaMuhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.

    Speaking in an interview, with reporters in Lagos, Jacob said FAAN as a responsible organisation would not allow individual interest of businessmen to over ride public interest as far as safety and security around the airports were concerned.

    He said the ‘ illegal action’ of the concessionaire to commence building at the disputed parcel of land is laughable, because the closeness of the land to the runway and tarmac of the airport could compromise the security of the airport and aircraft flying into Nigeria.

  • FAAN, concessionaire bicker over land

    FAAN, concessionaire bicker over land

    There was confusion at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja , yesterday as officials of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), and representatives of a concessionaire-AIC Limited  clashed over a parcel of land proposed for a  five star hotel .

    FAAN, speaking through its General-Manager, Corporate Services, Yakubu Dati, said the land does not belong to the Concessionaire, while the  firm argued that the  lease concession on the land had  been granted to it by FAAN since 1998.

    The firm insisted that the land was leased to it in 1998, saying the agreement to that effect was registered as NO 55 at page 55 in Volume 2010 of the Land Registry of Lagos State.

    Addressing the media yesterday, the General Manager, Administration and Business Development, Chief Niyi Akande, said the land was leased to AIC for 50 years to build a five star hotel that will be linked to the international terminal.

    He said: “There is a court injunction which is still subsisting. We did not go through the back door .They leased the land to us for 50 years, we signed an agreement and we did not just come here to take the land. FAAN should obey court decisions,”he said.

    “On 18the February, 2002, Justice R.O Nwodo granted AIC Limited an injunction restraining FAAN from disturbing AIC Limited from conducting its legal business on the land.” He added that at Arbitration headed by Justice Friday Esun, AIC was also awarded a fine to FAAN to pay A.I.C Limited $46 million for lost of profit and income that A.I.C had suffered for the hotel that should have been built and opened 10 years ago.

    Chief Akande said that five companies bidded for the five hotel project, saying when AIC’s bid was examined, it was discovered that its project was more feasible..

    The General Manager stated that it was based on that FAAN signed a 50 year leased agreement with  AIC. He said the company was shocked to find the caterpillars hired by FAAN clearing the land, which lawfully belong to AIC.

    Akande said when he and other staff of AIC got to the site at MMIA, yesterday, FAAN had pull down the fence separating the property from the Diplomatic Car Park, adding that he reported the case to the Airport Police Command, who sent a Deputy Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Haliru Gwandu to the scene to maintain peace.

    In a swift reaction, FAAN, in a statement signed by the General Manager, Corporate Services, Yakubu Dati said : “ The attention of the Federal Airports Authority has been drawn to a recent altercation over a parcel of land owned by the Authority and presently being used as a temporary car park to ease up the traffic at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.

    We wish to state in unequivocal terms that the parcel of land in question which is situated beside the international airport belongs to the authority and not to any concessionaire as claimed.

    About a decade ago, a concessionaire had requested for land for the development of a hotel and such was granted. However the transaction was subsequently enmeshed in controversy which resulted in arbitration.

    The arbitrator awarded damages to the said concessionaire while the land remained FAAN property.

    The concessionaire cannot therefore exercise legal right over the land but can pursue their interest i.e. monetary compensation as contained in the arbitral award.

    The Lagos airport premises and land situated therein are sole property of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and by their location are of security significance.The on-going development around the airport environment is for the general benefit of all and therefore overrides any personal or group interest.

    FAAN remains committed to fulfilling its mandate of providing a secure, safe and comfortable airport experience.”