Okon Bassey in Uyo
New International Smart Terminal Building being constructed at the Victor Attah International Airport in Akwa Ibom State will be ready for use by the first quarter of next year.
Already, works at the facility which is handled by VKS Construction Company has reached an advanced stage of completion.
Speaking with Journalists, on an assessment tour of the facility, the Project consultant, Francis Uwah, said the terminal building would be fully automated.
On completion, he said the facility would make the Victor Attah International Airport a regional hub, boost tourism and impact positively on the State’s economy.
According to him, the terminal building is expected to process a yearly passenger traffic of one million.
He explained that the firm handling the project was working assiduously to fix necessary equipments at the building preparatory to the targeted delivery date.
He noted some key features of the International Smart Terminal Building to include digital self check-in by a robot, pre-planned before Covid-19 , Automated luggage screening and weighing, Video/Scene Analytics, Static object detection, suspicious packages, etc, foot traffic analysis, Queue detection, Facial recognition, Traffic monitoring Incident analysis.
Others: are Vehicle counting, License plate readers, Moisture Control Technology (Damp Proofing) for Hot Seasons, New Technologies and Best Practices Involving Synchronized Motors, Regeneration Converters, Control Software, Optimization of Counterweights and Cabin Lighting yield Significant Savings.
Others include: Daylighting and advanced occupancy and Dimming Functions to eliminate over-lit spaces, Intelligent Transport Management Systems, Fully Integrated Alarm and Voice Evacuation System, Infrared toilet system with automatic flushing system and Automation of Immigration Processes and Centers.
Also speaking, Special Assistant to the Governor on Research and Documentation, Mr. Essien Ndueso, described the smart terminal building project as a signpost of the Governor’s commitment to the development of the state.
The governor’s aide maintained that the project commenced in 2018 with its progress hampered by the 2020 – 2021 global lockdown occasioned by the Covid19 pandemic, and expressed happiness with the Governor for keeping faith with the completion of the aviation furniture.
He said the project would have earned commendations from Akwa Ibomites if it was constructed anywhere else in Nigeria, adding that because of petty politics of lies and deceits, certain political elements sponsor smear campaigns against the Governor to undermine his accomplishments in office.
“Others outside the State appreciate this Governor and wish he were theirs, but our people are the ones deriding him on the several media pages,”, Ndueso added.
