Victor EzejaGeneral Secretary of the Aviation Roundtable and Safety Initiative (ART), Mr Olumide Ohunayo, has expressed support for the proposed overhaul of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos by the Nigerian government, saying it will bring the airport to modern standards and also boost the activities of airlines.
Prime Business Africa had reported that the Federal Government had last week approved N712 billion for the upgrade and remodelling of the Lagos airport for smooth operations.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelThe amount earmarked for the project has sparked nationwide reactions as citizens query the rationale for spending such humongous amount of money on airport rehabilitation.
Clarifying the project, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, said the entire Terminal One at MMIA will be pulled down, rebuilt and equipped with facilities to meet modern international standards that can also cater for the increased traffic.
Terminal One was built and commissioned in 1979 by the Obasanjo-led Military government. It has two wings known as WING D and WING E.
“Due to years of neglect and because the traffic over time quadrupled beyond its capacity, the building & facilities at Terminal One became totally decrepit,” Keyamo stated.
“We have been engaged in some patch jobs over the years just to make it a bit presentable. Now, shorn of all the rhetoric, what we simply want to do is to totally strip down that building, including the entire roof (leaving only the carcass), then re-design/reconfigure it and build a brand-new airport for the nation to meet modern, international standards that can also cater for the increased traffic.”
He said both wings D and E would be affected in the upgrade.
The minister also explained that they got approval from the Federal Executive Council for the expansion of Terminal Two building and the Apron (where aircraft park for boarding and disembarkation) to accommodate more aircraft, including wide-body aircraft.
According to him, other projects include the construction of two new independent ring roads in and out of the airport (one for departure and one for arrival) and a bridge that will take travellers directly to the upper floor of Terminal Two Departure lounge.
The minister revealed that the Lagos airport upgrade will be done through the Renewed Hope infrastructure Development Fund, not by loan.
Ohunayo stated that the development of a country’s aviation industry to meet global standards cannot be achieved without having efficient airports.
“You cannot develop your aviation industry without efficient airports,” Ohunayo stated in an interview on Channels Television.
“The airlines and passengers that bring about its development and increase its contribution to GDP always have to use the airport.
“We need good airports that can take care of the present and also of the future,” he added.
READ ALSO: Nigerian Govt Approves ₦712.26 Billion For Total Overhaul Of Lagos International Airport Terminal
The aviation analyst said there is no better time to embark on the rehabilitation, pointing out that the longer the delay, the higher the cost of remodelling the airport.
“There is a lot to be done to bring that airport to modern standards and, more importantly, to build it as a transit airport. That will help our airlines to make use of the freedom and all other aviation agreements that we have signed that we are not currently making use of, which have stunted our airlines.
He cited countries in Africa that have transit airports, including Ghana, emphasising that Nigeria must have one.
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with seven years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Master's degree in Mass Communication.
