Chinedu Eze
In line with the federal government policy on the ease of doing business in the country, the acting President, Yemi Osinbajo yesterday inspected facilities, including toilets and the carousels, at the international wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos.
Accompanied by the Minister of State for Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, the acting president drove from the VIP section of the domestic airport through airside to the tarmac of the international wing of the airport.
He went through the security areas to the arrival hall, where he inspected the travelator and expressed disappointment that the facility was not working.
Osinbajo also inspected the carousels and toilets, before proceeding to the departure hall of the airport.
Throughout the inspection, he expressed disappointment that many of the facilities were either obsolete or broken down, and even newly installed equipment like the carousels were not in efficient working order.
He inspected the immigration area and went to the Visa on Arrival section to enquire how quickly a visitor could obtain visa on arrival.
“We are doing a lot to ease the process of doing business in Nigeria, so we want to make the environment friendly, not only in the area of transportation but for everybody who wants to come and do business in Nigeria.
“The airport is one of the places where we need to ensure that facilities are working and that things are being done properly. We have come and we have looked around and seen quite a few of the equipment.
“There are many things that need to be corrected, so a lot need to be done. We need to work on them,” Osinbajo said.
The minister also affirmed that there were things that needed to be done at the airport to enhance easy facilitation and improve the comfort of travellers, adding: “We are here to look at these things. I agree with the vice-president. A lot needs to be done. That is why we are here.”
When THISDAY asked Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) sources why many of the facilities were not in good working condition, one official said most of the contracts awarded for the execution of projects at the airports were done by the Ministry of Aviation (now Transport).
He disclosed that oftentimes FAAN’s management is excluded from the award of contracts for project, “so for the agency to effectively handle the affairs at the airports, interferences from the ministry must stop.”
During the inspection, it was learnt that the company that ought to maintain the carousel had not been paid and discontinued work.
