News

Anguish, Chaos, Gridlock Over Int’l Flight Relocation

Published

8 months ago

September 11, 2023

Editor

International travellers, airlines will in the coming days experience pains, gridlock along with discomfort while embarking on their travels both outbound and inbound.

This is coming at the heel of the relocation of international airlines and travellers to the new international airport, terminal two, in Lagos.

It would be recalled that the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, last month, directed all international airlines to vacate the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, from October 1, 2023.

Keyamo notified the airlines to commence immediate action of the relocation of their tickets sales offices to the new terminal two constructed by the Chinese consortium for the commencement of renovation work at the MMIA.

The announcement has thus led to chaos for both travellers and airlines, as they struggle to manage operating in the new terminal which capacity is far less than the current (old) terminal.

One of causes of the chaos is the new terminal inability to accommodate big planes in the range of the Boeing 777 and above, as the jetbridges installed can only take small planes. Aviation World during a visit to the airport witnessed gridlock of tavellers as they queued along the taxi way with their luggage waiting to be called up to check-in.

However, the Chief Operating Officer, Ibom Air, Gearge Uresi, in a chat, disclosed that the new terminal is nowhere near 14 million passengers capacity. He stated that the new terminal actually has far less capacity than the current (old) terminal.

He said: “You do not just dream up these things. The ‘old’ terminal, launched in 1979, was designed with a capacity to process 1.5 million passengers per annum.

“At full stretch, sweating the asset, it would struggle to process three million passengers.

“Its peak hour processing capacity for both departing and arriving passengers was 1,200. So its design service level was to provide comfortable processing for 1,200 departing and 1,200 arriving pax at peak hour.

“These numbers informed the design of circulation space, check in counters, toilet facilities, access and egress doors into and out of the terminal, the specifications of the baggage belt systems and arrival carousels (capacity and strength), the passengers security screening and customs/immigration capacity, any lifts and escalators, the scope and placement of commercial offerings and of course the access and egress road system as well as vehicle parking capacity.

“With time and without an active Master Plan for improving the airport as numbers grew, the throughput began to surpass the processing capacity of the terminal by far.

“As at 2012, actual peak hour traffic was 4,100 departing passengers and the same for arriving passengers. Also, the arrival peak had stretched to a daily 2.5 hour period while the departing peak had stretched to a daily 3.5 hour period (due to gridlock from lack of adequate processing capacity), thereby stretching the terminal to breaking point.

“The check-in area and arrivals carousel areas were a total mess, every night.

“To alleviate this while planning for new terminal capacity, we decided to expand the terminal at both ends to create additional processing capacity for customs/immigration as well as security screening for departures and arrivals, including a whole new set of three high capacity baggage carousels each at both ends.

“Even though this expansion eventually got badly built, it nevertheless came as a huge relief to the terminal. Otherwise that terminal wouldn’t have survived till today.

“As that was going on, we briefed the same airport architects who had helped design Cape Town.

International’s 15 million passengers terminal to do the conceptual design for a new, 24-airbridge, 9-million passengers, modularly expandable international terminal that was to be situated on the left side of the current (old) terminal.

“It was this conceptual design that we took to China Exim Bank and that they thoroughly interrogated and accepted before approving the facility they were to give us.

“But we started building a terminal, totally different from the one we conceptually designed in the opposite location from where we were meant to build it.

“Unfortunately, every element of basic terminal design was stood on its head in the design of this terminal. The basic principles that inform terminal design from scratch, are: How many passengers are you designing a terminal for and for what purpose? Is the terminal being built for international, domestic or both and is it to facilitate flight connections or just origin and destination traffic?

“These then determine how the key elements are designed in, including how many contact and remote aircraft stands would be required and the accompanying circulation space, check in capacity, security screening and customs/immigration capacity, toilet facilities, etc required for optimal processing of the design numbers of passengers at peak.

“Of course depending on the requirements of the airport operator, how much commercial offerings and support services such as lounges etc would then need to be designed in.

“The design thread carries all the way from Landside to airside, fitting in with the Landside access and egress system, the access and egress doors into and out of the terminal, as well as the entire airside maneuvering system.

“The design goal is always to deliver an efficient, fit-for-purpose infrastructure for optimal processing. Only after these considerations are accommodated, do you then add ‘aesthetics’ to the mix.

“It is a head scratcher to see a terminal of this size built with a single pier of six connecting stands, a study in terminal design anomaly. The immediate past aviation Minister, Hadi Sirika, and the FAAN team invested considerable energy, efforts and resources to surmount the gigantic problems brought about by this wrongly positioned and badly designed terminal.

“Their efforts have remained largely unseen and unheralded. But they were laudable.” He further stated that one of the things they got right about the terminal was the modern aesthetics.

“The good thing is that the authority has a serious and committed managing director and the airport has a pragmatic General Manager at the moment.

“Given the right support and leverage, they will find a path forward to solve these embarrassing problems. But we should all brace for a lot of pain, any which way. And no, the terminal is not by any stretch of imagination, a 14 million passengers terminal. It is a head scratcher for us all to see how to make the best of it.”

Travellers’ ordeal

Meanwhile, travelers have continued to express their dismay about the situation.

One of the travellers who pleaded anonymity, told Aviation World that this is worst time to fly out of Nigeria.

“The international airport situation is chaotic. So we switched to the new terminal and this is happening? Wasn’t these shortcomings put into consideration during the planned switch.”

The General Secretary, National Union of Air Transport Employees, NUATE, Ocheme Oba, said: “The pains the passengers are going through are unfortunate. Sometimes we transfer our frustrations caused by sudden dislocation from our comfort zones to vulnerable people.

“Yes, there are no jetbridges. Apart from the passengers not being transported with adequate type of buses to and from the aircraft, the new terminal, on paper, ought not be the source of these pains.

“It is facts like these, that give confidence that with attention to detail, they will overcome the chaos as soon as possible.”

FG sets up task force

Meanwhile, Keyamo has set up a task force to resolve these challenges within the shortest possible period.

Spokesman for the Minister, Oluseyi Odutayo in a statement said, “We urge all passengers and other stakeholders to be patient and bear with us as the inconvenience caused will soon be resolved. Your understanding plays a vital role in making this transition smoother for everyone involved.

“The primary objective of this task force is threefold; resolve passenger concerns as the task force is expected to work diligently towards resolving all concerns raised by passengers regarding congestion, discomfort, and related issues stemming from terminal relocation. We are committed to ensuring that every passenger’s voice is heard and addressed promptly.

“Others are to minimise discomfort by dwelling on minimizing any form of discomfort during this transition period, streamlining processes at both terminals while closely monitoring operations 24/7, enhanced signage, dedicated support staff, and improved communication channels will be implemented proactively.”

“We pledge transparency throughout this process by providing regular updates on progress made in addressing concerns arising from airline relocations. FAAN aims at improving public relations strategies through various channels including online platforms and customer service helplines so that you stay informed about developments firsthand.”
VANGUARD

News

Anambra: Three Ex-police Officers Bag Life Imprisonment For Murder

Published

9 hours ago

May 15, 2024

Editor

An Anambra State High Court sitting in Onitsha has convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment three former Police officers for killing a 42-year-old man, identified as Chukwunonso Uchenwoke, from Mbosi in the Ihiala Local Government Area of the state.

The accused persons were said to have killed the man while effecting his arrest over an alleged assault and malicious damage.

The offences were said to have been committed on May 14, 2016, at No. 13 Ibe Street, East Niger Layout, Okpoko in Ogbaru Local Government Area of the state and the Onitsha Judicial Division.

After the incident, the ex-police officers, whose names were given as Juliet Ekwueme, Ugochukwu Obiakor and Raphael Chike, were said to be dismissed from the Nigerian Police Force.

The court, presided over by Justice A.O. Okuma, on Wednesday, held that the prosecution counsel proved the case beyond reasonable doubt and found the accused persons guilty of conspiracy and murder charges preferred against them, which are contrary to Sections 495(a) and 274(I) of the Criminal Code Cap 36 Volume II, Revised Laws of Anambra State of Nigeria 1991, as amended.

The three of them were all convicted and sentenced to seven years of imprisonment for conspiracy and life imprisonment for manslaughter.

Trulaw Chambers, through her principal counsel, C.J. Okeke, prosecuted the case with the fiat of the Anambra State Attorney General.

Reacting to the judgement, the prosecutor, Okeke, described it as yet another victory and a succinct reminder that justice is still tenable with the right legal representatives.

The counsel to the first defendant, G.A. Oluwatuase, said he would appeal the judgment for his client; the counsel to the second defendant, C.E. Ezenwa, and the counsel to the third defendant, C.J. Agbata, said they need a copy of the judgement to determine their next line of action.

News

Three Killed In Abuja Community Clash

Published

10 hours ago

May 15, 2024

Editor

Three persons, including two women and a young boy, have reportedly been killed in a clash between local scavengers, otherwise referred to as baban bola, and residents of the Byazhin community, in Kubwa, Bwari Area Council of the FCT.

An eyewitness, who identified herself as Jessica Adam, told our correspondent that a baban bola attempted to steal a woman’s pot of soup, but was overpowered and beaten up after the woman alerted neighbours and passers-by.

The embittered baban bola then went away and mobilised hoodlums who returned at about 8pm wielding weapons including machetes, clubs, and stones and began attacking residents at random, eventually killing the woman whose pot of soup was earlier stolen.

In the attack, two others, a woman and a young boy, reported to be passers-by who unfortunately ran into the middle of the crisis, were also killed, they were, however, yet to be identified.

“They killed two people yesterday. The community has been in chaos since yesterday. The crisis continued till this morning when they killed somebody again. So far, three persons have been killed and many injured. The Police intervened and restored normalcy, but no arrest was made. The Police have intensified their patrol in the Byazhin area of Kubwa to prevent them from regrouping,” Ms Adams narrated.

A resident in the community, who spoke with The PUNCH on condition of anonymity, also confirmed the death of the three persons but said he had no clue as to what may have started the clash.

“Yes, the riot started yesterday. And by this morning, we learnt that three persons have been killed. It happened in Byazhin around that Millionaire’s Quarters, behind that Living Faith Church. That place is usually dangerous, because it is quite lonely, and you cannot pass through there alone, especially in the evening,” he said.

As of the time of filing this report, The PUNCH gathered that schools and shops in the area have been closed down, as parents scampered to pick up kids from their classrooms, and shops refused to open as of Wednesday morning.

Meanwhile, efforts to reach the Police Public Relations Officer of the FCT Police Command, SP Josephine Adeh, proved abortive, as her number was repeatedly unreachable.

News

24 Injured In Kano Mosque Explosion

Published

10 hours ago

May 15, 2024

Editor

No fewer than 24 persons were critically injured on Wednesday following an early morning mosque explosion at Gadan Village, Gezawa local government area of Kano State

The Public Relations Officer of the Kano Police Command, SP Abdullahi Haruna confirmed the incident in a statement on Wednesday.

“Today, 15/05/2024 at about 0520hrs, reports were received that, there was an explosion at a Mosque in Gadan Village, Gezawa LGA, Kano State during “Subhi Prayer” and that some people got injured.

“On receipt of the report, the Commissioner of Police, Kano State Command, CP Mohammed Usaini Gumel, immediately deployed the command’s combined teams consisting of experts in Explosive Ordnance Disposal Chemical Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (EOD-CBRN) led by CSP Haruna Isma’il and other Crime-Scene Policemen led by Divisional Police Officer, Gezawa Division, CSP Haruna Iliya.

“The scene was cordoned-off and twenty-four victims including 20 male adults and 4 male children were removed and rushed to Murtala Mohammed Specialist Hospital Kano where they are currently receiving treatment,” he said.

According to him, forensic analysis at the preliminary stage revealed a suspected petrol explosion, of which a full investigation is ongoing.

He said that the principal suspect had been identified and arrested adding that the suspect is now with the Police.

“The suspect is Shafi’u Abubakar aged 38 years who said his action was purely in hostility following prolonged family disagreement over sharing of inheritance of which those that he alleged to have cheated on him were in the mosque at that moment and he did that for his voice to be heard,” Haruna said.

While the suspect is currently in police custody, he noted that a detailed investigation is ongoing and will be made public in due course.