Few months after the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria ( FAAN) terminated of the contract of the waste disposal and evacuation company, Guesstimate Environmental Protection Company previously and replaced with another, Neeb Energy undisposed waste have appeared at multiple points around the airport, opposite the General Aviation Terminal ( GAT) and at the Local Garage opposite the Forte Oil fueling station causing an eyesore to the airport.
As at the time of publishing this report this 30th of January 2023, the refuse at the local garage has doubled in size and emits a putrid smell around the nation’s most busy gateway questioning the work ethics of those in charge of the FAAN Environment unit.
This is coupled with reports of refuse being generated on the airside which if not quickly evacuated may, if not already have attracted birds to the area which may affect aircraft flight and cause Bird Aircraft Strike Hazard( BASH).
FAAN had in a termination letter with reference number: FAAN/MMA/ENV/GST/2/VOL.1, addressed to the Managing Director, Guesstimate Environmental Protection Company, dated November 30, 2022, severed ties with the company.
The letter, which was signed by one Adetutu U.A, the Ag. HOD, Environmental, MMA for Ag. Regional General Manager, of South West, Airport, said the terminal was due to the engagement of another company to manage waste at the airport.
The letter stated that Neeb Energy has been consulted as the new waste collection and evacuation servicing company for FAAN. The engagement of the new company took effect on December 1, 2022.
The letter read in part:“I am directed to draw your attention to the meeting coordinated by the airport on waste collection and evacuation services between Guesstimate and Neeb Energy on the 7th of November 2022 and the agreement reached on allowing Messrs Guesstimate to collect and evacuate wastes across the airport until 30th November 2022 to allow Messrs Neeb Energy to meet requirements and to demonstrate capacity.
“Please, be informed that as of the 29th of November, and following an assessment of its submissions, Messrs Neeb Energy has fulfilled all requirements and has demonstrated readiness to deploy personnel, equipment and facilities to the site for the commencement of waste collection and evacuation with effect from December 1, 2022.
“Consequently upon the above, Guesstimate is required to suspend further collection and evacuation of wastes from all locations hitherto covered, and to ensure the removal of all its waste collection facilities and related equipment with effect from 30th of November, 2022 to enable Messrs Energy to take full charge of all the sites.â€
However, the situation around the Lagos Airport has not fared well with all the garbage points full to the brim begging the question if the Environment Department of FAAN goes around to ensure that those it gave mandates are doing their job.
How this may affect airline operations:
It is no news that FAAN procures equipment to combat the scourge of wildlife in and around the airport especially the airside however, that is a second level of response as the first is keeping the environment free from refuse which attracts insects and arachnids which are consumed by egrets and other birds you find around these refuse.
Statistics indicate that there were bird strike incidents across airports in Nigeria in the first half of 2022 of which 54 of such incidents happened at the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA), Lagos alone.
The Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), the umbrella body of airlines in the country, also said that its members lost $60 million (N34.5 billion at N575 to a dollar at the time) to bird strikes suffered by their aircraft in 2021, saying the trend was on the increase.
All these were after FAAN had in 2019 discovered habitats close to the aerodrome of the Lagos Airport where no fewer than 5, 000 birds of varying species mill during the day and rest at night only to cause damage to aircraft when they fly off.
Despite dislodging these birds, the series of unfortunate bird aircraft strikes continued leading to the 2022 figures.Already stakeholders, especially operators, have drawn the attention of the management of FAAN to the current situation stressing that the situation is unchanged in the past month.
