MMA2: Billions of naira regional equipment rots away

. 50% facilities under utilised

Equipment worth billions of naira meant for regional flight operations for airlines are wasting away at the Murtala Muhammed Airport Two, Ikeja operated by Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited.

Commissioned in April 2017 by former president Olusegun Obasanjo on build, operate and transfer, the terminal has remained the toast of travelers.

A visit by Daily Times to the facilities on the ground at the terminal showed that all necessary facilities needed for regional flight operations have been installed and were lying waste.

Scanning machines of various kinds have been installed, Customs, Immigration, NDLEA, quarantine and other security offices have been provided.

A source close to Bi-Courtney, told our correspondent that the company installed the facilities when they were preparing to commence regional flights from the terminal after borrowing billions of naira from banks to finance the project.

The source hinted that the banks have been on the neck of the company to pay back. “You can see the huge investment here, the regional departure hall, check in counters, avio bridges and screening machines of all types are here lying waste without being utilized.”

Bi-Courtney was stopped from operating regional flights from the terminal the eve of the planned operations. It was to test run the facilities with Dana air flight to Accra.

It was gathered that the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority stopped the management of Bi-Courtney from carrying out regional operations from the terminal after fulfilling all the necessary requirements.

For the Head of Operations, Murtala Mohammed Airport Two (MMA2), Mobolaji Salu, the terminal is operating below its capacity with only five airlines being handled.

Salu said the terminal was operating at 50 per cent of the terminal capacity

According to him, the terminal, which was built to handle four million passengers, now handles two million passengers annually.

With 53 checking – in counters at the terminal, about 70 percent of the counters were also being utilized.

Salu lamented that with all the facilities put in place for the seamless take off of the regional flights from the terminal, the government has been reluctant to give approval to commence flights.

He explained that over 50 per cent of the passenger traffic had been taken over by other terminals after borrowing money from the banks to put the terminal in other to commence regional operations.

According to him, with 800 car park capacity, the airport was in for business assuring passengers of seamless travel through the terminal.

He explained that the terminal was ready to handle both the local and regional flights from the terminal as facilities have not been fully put into use.

Arik air, Salu disclosed has started its charter services from the MMA2 stressing that more business plans will be unfolded soon.

Only recently, during the visit of the Joint Committee on Aviation, the management of the terminal and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria were asked to forward their terms of agreement to them to determine the years of operations of the terminal by Bi-Courtney.

While Bi-Courtney has been claiming 36 years, FAAN claimed 12 years as the period of operations of the terminal before handing it over to the government.

Chukwuemeke Iwelunmo