Photo caption: Front left, Country Manager, Gulf of Africa International Ltd., Mr. Mohammad Javeef, Managing Director, Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, Capt. Rabiu Yedudu, Minister of Aviation, Sidi Sirika, Director, Airport Operations, Capt. Muktar Muye, General Manager, Aerodrome Rescue and Fire Fighting Services, (FAAN), Mr. John Ekpe and Commissioner/CEO, Nigerian Investigation Safety Bureau, NSIB, Engr. Akin Olateru at the commissioning of Aerodromes Fire Fighting Vehicles at the department of Fire service, FAAN, Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja, Lagos
Aviation Minister Aviation, Hadi Sirika has again restated his intention to demolish over $300 million Dominion Hangar and Evergreen Apple Nigeria in some weeks, insisting that nothing can stop the development.
The planned domolition is coming on the heels of the Stakeholders Forum he held in Abuja two weeks ago,where he told them his plans to pull down Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Headquarters, Nigeria Airspace Management Agency ( NAMA) and Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority ( NCAA) offices in Lagos.
His demolition plans are also coming despite the fact that he has not been able to expand the apron of the newly commissioned Chinese built terminal at the international Wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA),Lagos,which was the reason for demolishing the Headquarters of the Accident Investigation Bureau(AIB), now Nigeriian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) some months ago.
The Minister re-echoed this yesterday in while commissioning five new fire fighting vehicles at MMA,Lagos
He slammef critics who are asking what the end game is to all the demolitions and planned demolitions when he is leaving office in the next two months.
Trying to justify his planned demolition, Sirika said since the terminal in Lagos was commissioned, it has not been operating near its full capacity, hence the need for the demolition of the two facilities.
“We are not operating Lagos Airport at full capacity. We have some obstructions that will be removed within the next one or two weeks to expand the Apron so that Lagos will have full use 100%.
” We are going to demolish Dominion Hangar anf Evergreen Apple Nigeria hangars to make way for the new Apron and that would be in a few weeks.”
