SALVAGE PROGRAMME KEEPS AGEING AIRPORTS IN OPERATION

Posted by Lateef Lawal


Airports across the country have recorded significant improvement through the introduction of 'salvage programme' aimed at keeping the ageing structures functioning.
 The Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) Mr. Richard Aisuebeogun made this remark while receiving the newly elected executive of the League of Airports and Aviation Correspondents (LAAC) in his office in Lagos.
He explained that without the 'salvage programme' carried out in the last two and half years, some of the airports would have ceased operations by now.
According to him, the country once had airports that airlines refused to fly into because there were no fire cover  but expressed joy that there was no airport in the country today that has no brand new fire truck and personnel to man them.
Mr. Aisuebeogun remarked that long period of neglect of airports across the country resulted in the wear and tear of the facilities which eventually led to system collapse in some cases adding that the organization was fast overcoming all these problems.
The FAAN Boss said it would take time to get these problems solved because the facilities across all airports were decaying. “It can not take us two years to replace them, renew them and sustain them, it will take us a longer time to do it and that is what we are doing now”
According to Mr. Aisuebeogun, the airports would get better with the current level of attention being given to them by ensuring that with the limited resources available, what to be done would be carried out to ensure passengers comfort.
He assured that the car parks at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja would be put in order in few months time while reconstruction work was on going at the Sam Mbakwe Cargo Airport, Owerri and would be one of the best terminals when completed.