ICRC promises to resolve issues about MMA2 concession

The Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) has commended the management of Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL), a member of the Resort Group, for the effective way it has operated the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal Two (MMA2) in the last 10 years despite all the challenges surrounding the concession of the terminal.

Praising the management of BASL during a monitoring visit to the private terminal early in the week,  the acting Director-General of ICRC, Mr Chidi Iwuzurah, declared “for the efforts made so far in ensuring the terminal lives up to its status as a model PPP (Public Private Partnership) aviation terminal. We, therefore, want to encourage you to continue to do more and ensure efficient service delivery to Nigerians and foreigners alike.”

Besides, Izuwah, who led the team of the ICRC officials on the tour, vowed that the commission would resolve all the issues surrounding the MMA2 concession between the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and BASL.

According to him, “ICRC was aware of the pains, especially considering the financial risks you had both assumed on this (MMA2) transaction and we are more than ready to give our support towards seeking an out-of-court settlement that will be beneficial to FAAN, Bi-Courtney and the general public.”

The director-general, who said the commission officials came on a monitoring visit to MMA2 facilities and the Four-Star Hotel and Conference Centre projects being executed by BASL to know the level of implementation of the concessions so far, explained that “the success or failure of Public-Private Partnership transaction in Nigeria does not only depend on the advice and solutions proffered by our commission but largely on the willingness of the parties to accept the advice and implement our recommendations in resolving disputes.”

Earlier in his opening remarks, the Chairman of the Resort Group, Dr Wale Babalakin (SAN), expressed regrets that certain misconceptions had been “sold, bought and distributed to Nigerians about the MMA2 concession.”

He dispelled the misconception that the concession did not follow due process while arguing that Royal Sanderton Limited won the bid for the reconstruction of the burnt domestic terminal but could not do anything on the site for one year following which BASL was invited as a reserved bidder, Babalakin.