DOMESTIC flight operations at the Lagos airport may soon begin to enjoy a boost as fifteen years of the absence of airfield lighting at the runway at the local wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport is about to be resolved.
Airport runway lighting is important for the safety and efficiency of flight operations as it controls and helps in the movement of aircraft, playing a great role in landing and taking off of aircraft.
This important safety component which has been missing at the local runway of the Lagos airport for 15 years was a result of the controversial omission of the airfield lighting by the contractor engaged to upgrade the runway 15 years ago during the administration of Babatunde Omotoba as the aviation minister.
For the period, domestic airlines have been made to operate at a great loss as the absence of the safety item denied them night operations and made them burn more aviation fuel as any of their flights that exceeded 6pm have been made to taxi through the international airport runway 18R which is longer to finally stop at the local airport.
Cheerfully, this financial stress may soon be history as the managing director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Captain Rabiu Yadudu has hinted that the minister of aviation, Senator Hadi Dirika has agreed to grant approval for the quick procurement of the airfield lighting for the local airport.
His words: “For the last two years since I became MD of FAAN, our primary targets, among them, have been the airfield lighting on runway 18L and the taxiway bravo and we thank God now that taxiway bravo is 95 per cent done. We just came from the inspection, it has been achieved. 18Left runway has been delayed because of a current contract that has been for many years and finally, the minister has graciously accepted to resolve that issue that has been protracted and he has agreed to grant us permission or approval to quickly procure a new lighting system.
“You know FAAN is a government agency; we cannot work and procure a new project when there is an existing one on the same facility. So many things you see that are delayed are not delayed because of negligence or lack of attention, it’s because you have to follow due process. After two years, taxiway bravo has no issues, as you can see now. If not for the issue of an existing contract, we would have finished lighting before bravo because it is more critical. Two years we couldn’t resolve the issues so we decided ‘let the ministry resolve it and approve for us to procure the light so we can fix it within six months.
And within six months, we install the lighting and the runway will operate 24 hours, it has all been agreed in principle, we are just waiting for implementation.”
The FAAN chief who said he was not aware of any litigation against the airfield lighting issue, added that he could not talk much about it because the problem took place before his coming onboard hence: “I am not aware of any court case on the lighting. It’s just that there is an existing contract on it, it was issued many years ago and it’s not something we know much about and so I cannot say much about it.”
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