FG approves N13bn for automation of airport facilities … as NCAA issues guidelines on resumption of international flight.

Chinazor Megbolu   |   

 

 

The Federal Government has announced the approval of N13 billion for automation projects in four airports across Nigeria.

 

The Government through the Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika during a press briefing in Abuja said the N13 billion approval was for the automation of safety equipment at the Murtala Muhammed International airport, Lagos, Aminu Kano International airport, Kano, Nnamdi Azikiwe International airport, Abuja and Port Harcourt International airport, Rivers State.

 

He explained the project will assist in the transformation of the airports from their current analogue operations to full digital operations on completion.

 

Sirika further explained the approval was born out of the presentation of a memorandum by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) for the upgrading and refurbishing of control tower equipment at the airports.

 

He maintained that the safe tower projects on completion, would increase efficiency as well as reduce the workload of air controllers in the designated airports.

 

Sirika also noted that the initiative would ensure speedy and automatic display of collected data from the runway regarding the weather, wind, rain, macroburst amongst others, on the control tower platform.

 

“Today, Civil Aviation submitted a memorandum to the council which was consequently approved. The memo is to upgrade and refurbish the safe tower equipment in four airports, Lagos, Kano, Abuja and Port Harcourt. 

 

“This is just to increase the efficiency of the airports and reduce the workload in the control tower and to automate what was hitherto analogue system to digital.

 

“Quick example is all of the data we collect at the end of the runways within the airports will now be displayed instantly on our platform in the control tower. Information regarding weather, regarding all of the components of weather, winds, rain, macroburst etc will be displayed automatically.

 

“So, the issue of giving out weather reports every hourly will change to give you instant weather, which will improve the pilot efficiency and the workload on the controller is reduced and it can handle more flights into the airport. The total contract sum is N13.122, 230, 999.17.’’

 

He, however, pointed out the payment of the contract sum would be in 2 parts.

 

According to him; “first component, which is a foreign component is €28,489,565 million while the naira component is N3.491,504,488.31. Of course, there will be 7.5 per cent added VAT. It will be for the completion period of 12 months’’.

 

Meanwhile, the NCAA has issued notices on international flights resumption.

 

The NCAA on Thursday issued a circular to all aviation stakeholders and foreign airlines flying into Nigeria ahead of the resumption of international flight operations to and from Nigeria scheduled for September 5, 2020.

 

The circular hinted the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, which are scheduled to reopen come September 5, 2020.

 

According to the letter with reference number NCAA/AIR/11/16/225 and signed by the Director-General, NCAA, Mallam Musa Nuhu; “following the announcement by the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on Covid-19 on the partial resumption of international flights, we wish to inform the industry of the following: Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, (DNMM) and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja (DNAA) will resume international operations effective 00.01z on 5th September 2020.”