Follow airport master plan to avoid further distortion, Expert charged FAAN
BY CHUKWUEMEKE IWELUNMO
A former managing director of Skyway Aviation Handling Company (SAHCO) Dr Oluropo Owolabi, has advised the management of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to follow the master plans of airports in the country to avoid distortions
Dr Owolabi who made this call why reacting to the current distortions across airports in the country especially the Murtala Mohammed International airport, remarked, that buildings were springing up everywhere around the airport environment
Owolabi condemned the building of hotels at the International wing of the airport and wondered why the government stopped Bi-Courtney from constructing hotel at the MMA2 but went ahead to give approvals for same projects at International airport
“Look at the airport environment verywhere, companies with no name, people selling cars, that’s not an airport”
The former SAHCO boss expressed dissatisfaction with the way cars were being parked at the exit of the International by the bridge causing gridlock
“They have turned the airport area to fueling stations, we have tankers there, I don’t know why Nigerians forget easily about safety, we remember the helicopter that picked the former Minister”
“That area is worse now, they have no other place to park, they are coming to the airport to park, creating new roads that are not supposed to be within the airport premises.
I am saying this because I feel sorry for those who are planning to have a Build Operate and Transfer”
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Owolabi criticised the demolition of AIB building in Lagos and queried the rationale behind the demolition and the fate of the workers
He also berated the emergence of groups of mechanics around the concord area reserved for aircraft in distress in time of emergency saying it posed a great security risk.
“It’s very risky, an example is at the runway after take off when you go, you look at Concord that area is supposed to be free but you see mechanics there, it has been short run, that is why it was being kept, they were to do that about three years ago and I told the minister, if they overshoot the runway what would happen, it is a free area there’s supposed to be light,it is meant for the runway, as we are going the runway is being protected”
