The upgrading of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos, scheduled for completion before the end of this year , will get due complement from the reconstruction and upgrading to the airport road which kicked-off days ago, aviation experts say.
The MMIA terminal and the road, both constructed in 1978 suffered significant depreciation and neglect over the years, to the point of being considered a hindrance to the ease of doing business and a shame to the nation, on account of a culture of neglect.
The problems with the MMIA terminal over the years, typically revolved around embarrassing power outages, malfunctioning conveyor belts, air conditioning which worked in fits and starts, congestion and infiltration by touts and other unaccredited persons.
Adebowale Akinsanya, Commissioner for Water Front Infrastructure Development, said that the airport road reconstruction project is expected to give a modern face-lift to Nigeria’s International Gateway through the upgrading of the existing dual carriageway of two lanes on either side, to a 10-lane expanded gateway.
Work on the project has commenced and will cost N8 billion. The project is being handled by Planet Project Limited, the same contractor executing the Oshodi Transport Interchange and conclusion date has been fixed for December 2018.
Regarding the state of the MMIA terminal, after the visit of vice president Yemi Osinbajo to the airport a few months ago, and the disappointment he expressed with the poor state of the facilities there, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) swung into action to effect repairs and upgrades to the conveyor belts, airconditioning, power generation and conveniences.
The new terminal building at the MMIA, for its part, has VIP lounges, arrival pick up service, baggage services emergency services, family facilities, functional conveyor belts, elevators, Internet access – Wifi Information points, lost property and left luggage trolleys, mail services, medical services and first aid and banking facilities, showers and other conveniences.
“The construction of the roads will further give the airport a facelift. It will be an amazing experience for passengers to meet world class facilities at the airport and have same experience with the airport’s roads,” Igwe Francis, the Public Relations Officer, National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE) said.
Francis assured that after the construction of the road, passenger experience will be terminals, air conditions, conveyor belts and other facilities which will complement the current road construction.
The managing director, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, Dunoma Saleh, said that the terminal under construction at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Lagos will process at least 2,100 passengers daily.
Saleh also said that the terminal which is being constructed by the China Civil Engineering Construction Company, (CCECC) has the capacity to handle three wide-bodied aircrft at once.
According to him, the funds for the projects were part of the $500m loan from China. He further said the terminal under construction was to reduce pressure on the existing terminal at the airport.
A visit by BusinessDay to MMIA recently, showed that touting at the airport has been drastically reduced.
The authority confirmed that it has been able to get rid of almost 90percent of touts who roam the airport. BusinessDay’s findings show that the legal department of FAAN has moved a motion that once any tout is caught roaming at the airport, he will be charged to court immediately.
“Right now, the Aviation Security Service (AVSEC) will not allow just anyone in. You must be a staff of FAAN or any accredited agency before you are allowed access into the terminal. Now, the overcrowding and what our airports have been known for in the past are no longer there today,” Yakubu Henrietta, the general manager, public affairs of FAAN, told BusinessDay.
In a bid to address the limited parking space, the multi-level car park at the MMIA is to be launched next week in preparation for the road construction. The car park, a Public Private Partnership (PPP) project, has the capacity for 1,500 vehicles.
Yakubu said that the project would complement other facilities at the airport. The car park, she said, was conceived to improve facilitation at the airport where a new international terminal is under construction with the attendant increase in passenger and cargo traffic.
She disclosed that a committee has been put in place and discussions are ongoing on how to make movement of passengers seamless during the construction.
IFEOMA OKEKE
