The Airport Manager of Margret Ekpo International Airport, Calabar, Mr. Sunday Ayodele, in this interview with CHUKWUEMEKE IWELUNMO, speaks on the developments in the airport, assuring that the airport will continue to do give passengers efficient services.
Can you comment on the recent developments in your airort, given that you are located in the rain forest region?
According to your observation, the zone, which we are, is rain fall zone. The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), is so magnanimous that they gave us a brand new tractor, sometime last year.
They also gave us another one, early this year; and the two are serviceable. We have also written to the Niger Delta Development Commission,(NDDC); and they have promised to also give us another one.
Although, it is also part of our responsibility to make sure that grass management is maintained, especially since the Calabar Airport is known to be the cleanest airport in Nigeria. We have to maintain the status.
How do you hope ensure that you sustain such huge status?
It is a collective responsibility. All the workers have bought into the idea that the airport belongs to them. When you ask a cleaner here why she is cleaning, she will tell you she is cleaning because the airport belongs to her.
The same with the man cutting the grass, the gatemen and all other categories of staff at the airport. We all want to survive.
What role does the state government play to support the airport?
They have been supportive. At least, when the Acting Vice President came on a visit, they gave us a patrol vehicle. The relationship has been very active and symbolic.
However, I think they can support in the areas of infrastructure and operations. Operations in the sense that Calabar Airport is known to be an international airport. For some time, it was suspended; and it was a government decision.
I want the state government to come in. We have all the agencies including the Nigeria Immigration Services (NIS), Nigeria Customs Services (NCS), FAAN, NAMA and others.
The facilities are all working and we are ready. By the grace of God, we have met with the Equatorial Guinea Consulate General and we are talking.
We want to make sure that we wrap up and open up the route again from Calabar to Malabo. Before now and the end of November, that route will be opened again. We want the state government to come in, in that area.
We also want them to come in the area of collaboration with provision of patrol vans. They gave us a car earlier, but there is an extent it can go because of the terrain.
The perimeter fence is porous; they can assist in that regard. They have been very supportive and our Managing Director has been very supportive too. He has been a father to us here.
What are the challenges you face in day to day running of Calabar Airport?
Our greatest challenge is power supply. Ideally, public utility supposed to be our primary source but is is the secondary source as it is now. Most times, we are on generator consuming AGO at a very high cost.
If Nigerian Power Holding Company (PHCN) can be up and doing, it will help us a great deal. In all, the headquarters has been very supportive in terms of supplying AGO to us.
What plans do you have to generate revenue through non-aeronautical sources?
There are two areas. When you look across the car park, we have a vast land which we are planning to develop into both a bigger car park and an event centre.
The even centre is good because if it is built with N20, 000 million to 30, 000 million; I know that in Calabar, to rent a suitable event centre goes for N300, 000 t0 N400, 000 per event. If we get event 40 times a year for N400, 000, we are talking about N16m.
That means, in two years, there will be returns on investment. The second aspect is that we have an airline office that have been abandoned for over 20 years. We have 8 suites there. Each suite is measuring 132 Square metres.
If at 20,000 per square metre, you give each of these suites, you will be getting over N3m per year for each suite times 8. That is N24m per year.
Definitely, the clients are there. We have two airlines that are operating there which is Arik and Aero. We have to move them there. We have to move SAHCOL there too.
The state government is trying to open up an airline called CaliAir. In fact, it is going to start before December before the Carnival Calabar.
They have to move there too and the Equatorial Guinea Airline we are talking about. We have to bring a bank in too because, from Jonathan bypass, down to the stadium, there is no bank around.
If we are able to attract a bank, we will gain the man-hour used to go to banks outside the airport; again, we will be able to attract revenue to FAAN.
We had a discussion with the Director of Finance and General Manager, Civil, they said it can be completed with N100m. If it is completed with N100m; and we are making N24m in a year, it is a viable business.
Who will be responsible for completing the abandoned airline office?
It is under us. But it is two ways. We can do it directly with a N100 million and after 4 years, there will be return on investments. We can also do PPP.
I learnt that there is a legal issue on it. Once the legal issues are cleared; definitely, people will be coming to invest and we are good to go.
What is your message to air travelers using Calabar airport?
We encourage them to be patient with us. In our own little way, we are making them to be comfortable. Even though the terminal building has not been completed, we are doing everything to make their experience in the airport seamless and very comfortable.
Thank God the contractors have come back to the project site; and very soon, they will complete the work. We are known for hospitality; and we will continue to give it to them.
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