FAAN scampers to fix facilities after VP’s visit to Lagos airport

Posted on by Wole Shadare

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*We got Presidential directive for repairs-FAAN MD
 
 
Aftermath of the unscheduled visit to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Ikeja by the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo last week Thursday, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) is scampering to fix some of the broken facilities at the nation’s premier airport.
 
Osinbajo took the operators of the airport by surprise when he inspected some decrepit facilities at the terminal, expressing disappointment about the failed equipment.
 
He was conducted round the passenger sterile area, baggage reclaim area to see the carousels; some of which are no longer functioning and many of the stinking toilets.
 
On inspection of the carousels, Osinbajo shook his head in utter disappointment with some of the broken down facilities less than three years after the Lagos airport remodelling project.
Faan ffff
 
His first point of inspection was at the passengers’ check-in area before he proceeded to the passenger sterile area.
 
He asked that the travellators be switched on but later discovered that they were not serviceable. From there, he went straight to the baggage reclaim area where he inspected the conveyor belts, otherwise known as the carousels and particularly expressed surprise at the failing facilities.
 
 Consequent upon the visit, the Managing Director of FAAN, Saleh Dunoma has ordered immediate repairs of the broken down equipment and has ordered engineers to commence repair works on all equipment at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) with immediate effect.
 
Dunoma gave the directive to the engineers and the airport manager after inspecting the facilities at the airport at the weekend.
 
During a thorough inspection that lasted for hours, the FAAN boss in company of FAAN Director of Commercials and Business Development, Mr. Sadiku Abdulkadir Rafindadi and other top management staff inspected the escalators, conveyor belts, departure terminal, arrival terminal and other sections of the airport. 
 
Speaking to journalists shortly after the tour, Dunoma said the tour had become necessary because Mr President has visited the MMIA recently; pointing out that the visit with his technical team is to come up with plan to implement his instructions immediately.
 
On the outcome of the tour, Dunoma said “there are few things we need to fix immediately. I say immediately; immediately means immediately. This is a Presidential directive. We will not be wasting time and that is why you see us working on Saturday. We will still work tomorrow. We just have to come up with strategic implementation plans so that we don’t disrupt operations. This is key to us”.
 
According to Dunoma, there are some few mechanical equipment like the travellators that needed to be fixed, adding that other areas according to him include few toilet facilities and some other external facilities that affect what is functional inside.
 
“We have a contract on the chillers.  Funding has been a problem for us but we are pushing to see that it is fixed”.
 
The FAAN boss equally assured travellers of improved facilities as FAAN has started work day and night.
 
“I want to assure the travellers that we are working. With the support of His Excellency and Minister of State Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, we will surmount all the issues. They are not insurmountable. We will work hard and improve on the comfort of the travellers”.
 
It would be recalled that the Acting President Professor Yemi Osibanjo paid an unscheduled visit  to MMIA few days ago, taking airport workers by surprise.
 
 
The Acting president who was in Lagos for other engagements took the time out to move round the airport for an on- the-spot assessment of facilities at the airport.
Wole Shadare