Nigerian Flight Deck Travel and Business Reportage
- NCAA DG explains the environmental impact to airport facilities
MANAGING Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Captain Rabiu Hamisu Yadudu has commended the Lagos State government for its quick intervention to help the agency resolve the issue of drainage from three local governments flowing into the Murtala Muhammed Airport to wreak havoc on the environment.
This is just as the Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) Captain Musa Nuhu has said that the works being done will sanitize the environment and reduce incidents of Bird Aircraft Strike Hazards (BASH) or bird strikes as well as protect the airport runway and other facilities.
Both men spoke after an inspection of the Murtala Muhammed Airport and works being carried out by the state government to forestall any further negative impact of drainage flowing into the MMA with debris to cause incalculable damages.
Yadudu said,” I want to use this opportunity to express our most profound appreciation to his Excellency the Governor of Lagos state for his very strong display of cooperation and leadership especially in our own case as FAAN. We met him few months ago to complain about a particular drainage. A lot of water, a lot of debris were coming that attracted a lot of things, one time this year, it was so high, it broke down the fence of the airport over the bridge and we had to scamper around to do an emergency procurement of fencing to cover it.
“ We called Lagos State showed them the situation, water from almost three local governments disrupting our operations and also bringing a lot of unwanted attention to our operation from animals and so, we mentioned it to the governor who promised to assist us.
“So it was to our astonishment today we went for inspection and saw, not only work ongoing but serious work with a lot of heavy concrete, the company has already mobilized and have cleared most of the area from plastic, debris and on both sides over a 100 meters of concrete have be laid and it is progressing rapidly.
“When he promised to assist us, we did not expect it so quickly and so decisively and I think it’s only fair for us to appreciate and commend his leadership, we thank him very much and believe he is a strong partner of progress for us, he has shown it, once again thank you Lagos State.
Director General of the NCAA on his part explained that waters from drainage in ikeja, Ejibo and other local government flowed into the airport and attracted birds which caused some bird strikes.
He also said that the water was coming to settle which may affect the runway, and so it was a good thing to see the state government take action.
He said,” We’ve toured the airport, we’ve been around, I have been at the industry almost 40 years the things I saw today I never knew they existed and it gives us a better understanding and a better view of the difficulties that the management Murtala Muhammed Airport is facing.
“I am sure you are aware of the issues of airlines suffering bird strikes but what I saw today is amazing. The drainage from Ejibo, from Ikeja and everywhere they all flow it to the airport, it’s not just water it comes with all sorts of rubbish, plastic I mean disgusting stuff and those attract the birds which contribute to issues of bird strikes.
“Thank God the MD FAAN reached out to the Lagos state governor and the state government and they are working together and of course the efforts I saw physically today in cleaning up those drainage is quite commendable and I am sure with time a lot of these bird strike issues will significantly reduce, not only that they are even trying to see how they can map the Lagos airport, have the drainage flow through the airport so that proper and permanent solutions can be brought to the issues.
“This is what we are coming to MMA to settle, it is not only the issues of the bird strikes it has other issues, it settles and it peculates under the runway and creates other damages to the airport facilities, so it’s an ongoing project, there is progress, is there more to do? Certainly. There is a lot more work to do but at least when you identify your difficulties and define your challenges that is a significant part of the solution and that is the whole focus of this, to show us the challenges they are facing and the efforts they are putting in place to deal with this,” the DG said.
