The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo has given till the first of October this year for all International airlines to relocate to the newly built Chinese terminal in Lagos.
He said the old terminal would be shut down for a total overhaul.
Mr. Keyamo who stated this during an inspection tour of the local and international airport terminals in Lagos also announced the suspension of the Nigeria Air project and Airport Concession.
The inspection tour kicked off at the VIP lounge to the arrival and departure areas of the domestic airport with the inspection of the carousels, the conveniences, the baggage receiving areas and the Murtala Mohammed Airport Terminal Two, MMA2.
At the newly built International airport terminal, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo said, the new terminal had been under utilized and abandoned by foreign airlines due to inadequate space for wide-bodied aircraft and avio-bridges due to its faulty design.
“The new terminal that is under used, we spent a lot of money building it and we have to use it. The space is not enough, there are private hangers there that cannot allow the planes to come in and that is why we are not enjoying our new terminal and the question i have asked is that, why did somebody approve such a project?”.
He stated that, to pave the way for such aircraft, two private hangars, the Evergreen Apple Nigeria and Dominion near the terminal would be relocated.
Mr. Keyamo said, the old International airport terminal was an eye sore and the present administration cannot continue to put Nigerians and foreign passengers through an airport without adequate cooling, baggage system amongst others.
“I have heard complaints upon complaints, the central air condition is not working, the carousels are not working, they broke down quite often and the approach into the airport is smelly and totally unwelcoming”.
He directed the Managing Director, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, Mr. Kabir Mohammed to stop all contracts awarded to fix facilities at the terminal adding that, it was a waste of funds to continue as the terminal would be shut down for total overhaul.
On existing projects, Mr. Keyamo said, the Nigeria Air and airport concession have been suspended based on public outcry.
“I have directed until I brief Mr. President, it is as simple as that to make sure the processes followed where transparent”.
He assured that the present administration was responsive to the feelings of Nigerians and would do everything possible to make Nigerians happy using the airports.