Adekunle Williams
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development,Mr Festus Keyamo, has ordered that the old international terminal of Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos be shut down by Oct. 1.
Keyamo gave at directive during an on-the-spot facility tour of Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos on Thursday.
Keyamo said the new Chinese-constructed terminal would begin operations on Oct. 1, to give room for the complete maintenance of the old terminal.
He said: “We must use what we have for now. I have given both international airlines and local airlines till 1st October, to move from the old terminal to the new one.
“We are going to shut down the old terminal temporarily and sort out all the issues surrounding the old terminal such as concession agreements.”
“The old international terminal, right from the toilet facilities to the arrival, departure halls, are an eyesore to Nigerians and foreigners.
“The lifts are not working and the passage is unwelcoming, and there is no air conditioner. We have the new terminal but it cannot be used. It was designed without provision for big planes.
“I don’t know what happened and I have been asking that question that makes them not to have avio-bridges that would lead to the big planes.”
Keyamo said 60 per cent of revenue that FAAN generates comes from the Lagos airport, saying that beyond that, it was the gateway, and the first impression getting into the country.
He directed the immediate suspension of the Nigeria Air project and the concession project, stressing that he owes it to the government and Nigerians to give honest assessment.
The minister directed the ministry to relocate the Dominion Air and EAN hangar to create an apron facility for bigger aircraft to come to the new terminal.
He, however, said that government would have an emergency procurement to ensure buses were provided to transit the international passengers to and from where the wide-body aircraft could park and disembark.
The minister was at the MMA1, MMA2, Fire Service, as well as the old and new international terminals.