By Chinedu Eze
Few days after the unscheduled tour of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos by the acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Saleh Dunoma, has given a marching orders to engineers to commence repair works on all facilities at the international terminal of the airport.
Dunoma, who assured travellers of improved facilities at the airport, gave the directive to the engineers and the airport manager after inspecting the terminal at the weekend.
During the inspection which lasted for hours, the FAAN boss alongside the Director of Commercials and Business Development, Mr. Sadiku Abdulkadir Rafindadi, and other top management staff examined the escalators, conveyor belts, departure and arrival sections of the terminal and other areas of the airport.
Speaking with journalists shortly after the tour, Dunoma said the tour had become necessary because the acting president had visited the airport recently, pointing out that the visit with his technical team was to come up with plan to implement his instructions immediately.
On the outcome of the tour, Dunoma said: “There are few things we need to fix immediately. I say immediately; that means immediately. This is a presidential directive. We will not waste time and that is why you see us working on a Saturday. We will still work tomorrow. We just have to come up with strategic implementation plans so that we don’t disrupt operations. This is key to us.”
According to Dunoma, there are some mechanical equipment like the travelators that needed to be fixed.
“We have a contract on the chillers. Funding has been a problem for us but we are pushing to see that it is fixed. I want to assure the travellers that we are working. With the support of the acting president and Minister of State for Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, we will surmount all the issues. They are not insurmountable. We will work hard and improve on the comfort of the travellers.”
Osinbajo paid an unscheduled visit to the MMIA last week, taking airport workers by surprise.
The acting president who was in Lagos for other engagements, took the time out to move round the airport for an on-the-spot assessment of facilities.
