As stakeholders in the aviation sector chart the way forward, the Chairman of Bi-Courtney Aviation Services (BASL), Dr Wale Babalakin has said that Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal Two (MMA2) signed agreement with the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to operate regional flights.
His reaction is coming on the heels of insinuations making the round that the terminal will very soon commence flight operations from the terminal with Dana Air being the first airline.
He explained that the terminal was not given approval contrary to insinuation making the round but that an agreement was signed.
The Chairman of BASL further explained that the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) was invited to inspect the terminal and that the regulatory body gave some conditions that should be met by the terminal before it could commence regional flights from the facility.
Babalakin ,who spoke at Breakfast Meeting titled, “Ownership, Viability, Safety and security of Nigerian Airports”, organised by the Aviation Safety Round Table Initiative(ASRTI), added that the conditions set by NCAA had been fulfilled by the terminal.
According to him, “Approval was not given, we signed an agreement to operate regional flights. NCAA was invited to inspect the facility and gave conditions that must be met and these conditions have been fulfilled and we are waiting for the implementation.”
On the four star hotel directly opposite the multi story MMA2 Car Park also belonging to BASL that was allegedly taken from BASL, the Chairman ,explained that some people had wanted to convert the project to FAAN offices but that the idea did not .
He added that while this was going on its technical partner withdrew because BASL could not explain why the hotel project was taken away from BASL.
However, he stated that BASL has signed a fresh agreement with the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) on the hotel project, adding that BASL was only able to achieve this due its relentless efforts.
Speaking on airport development, he stated that it could only take place only under a well articulated concessioning system.
This is just as he also said that Nigeria is not a wealthy country but that it has the potential to be wealthy.
Babalakin posited that for Nigerian aviation industry to move forward and experience rapid development under a well articulated concessioning system devoid of disagreements.
He stated that Airport Development could only manifest in the Nigerian aviation sector only if Nigerians themselves harness the potential that the country has.
The BASL chairman said that for the aviation to be developed, the rule of law must be followed, adding that more often than not concession agreements are violated.
To buttress his point, stated that all the agreements on Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal Two (MMA2) were violated by the government, adding such would not interest investors.
