New Lagos Airport Terminal Is Safe - IATA

Shola Adekola, Lagos - 08.03.2008

The anxiety which has gripped the nation's aviation industry over the alleged unsafe status of the new Terminal Two at the Murtala Muhammed Airport was yesterday put to rest as the International Air Transport Association (IATA) has given the terminal a clean bill of health after a safety audit it conducted on the terminal.

At the end of the inspection conducted by the foreign body under the leadership of IATA Regional Director in West Africa, Qaussau Konate, the new terminal was absolved of any safety complications levelled against it by Virgin Nigeria Airways that the complex fell short of prescribed international operational safety standards.

The delegation was conducted round the complex by the Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Harold Demuren, with representatives of airlines, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA).

After the inspection, the team leader declared: “We went there, the apron and the air sides, but not the building. We looked for evidences, and found out clearly that all the issues raised have been rectified. Now the place is safe, and all the safety issues have been rectified.”

Speaking at a press conference after the inspection, Demuren explained that the IATA team applied to visit Nigeria for the purposes of laying to rest the controversies that had trailed the new ultramodern terminal, which he explained is now safe for all airlines to operate from.

Demuren said: “The controversy that has trailed the question of safety at MMA2 has been laid to rest. All the service providers were here, including, FAAN, NAMA, Arik Air, AON and other stakeholders.

“Safety is very crucial. Now the terminal has been declared as safe.

Everything about the safety status of the terminal has been resolved. The previous IATA report in Nigeria was very favourable.

“It was a progress report on the industry. There are hydrants at the new terminal. All safety issues have been resolved.”