The Managing Director of Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, Captain RabiuYadudu weekend disclosed that the lights on the runway 18L of the Muritala Muhammed Airport, Lagos will soon be installed. Captain Yadudu made the disclosure after an inspection tour of the airport with aviation reporters in Lagos. The use of the 18L had been restricted to day time because of absence of airfield lighting. He said “For the last two years since I became MD FAAN, our primary targets, among others, is the airfield lighting on runway 18L lighting and then taxiway Bravo and we thank God now taxiway bravo is 95% done, we just came from the inspection, it has been achieved”. “18Left has been delayed because of a current contract issue that has been on for many years and finally, the honorable minister has graciously accepted to resolve that issue that has been protracted and he has agreed to grant us permission or approval to quickly procure a new lighting system.”
The FAAN boss further said ,”You know FAAN is a government agency; we cannot work and procure a new project when there is an existing one on the same facility. So many things you see that are delayed, are not delayed because of negligence or lack of attention it’s because you have to follow due process. After two years taxiway bravo no issues, as you can see it now. If not for the issue of an existing contract we would have finished lighting before bravo because it is more critical. Two years we couldn’t resolve the issues so we decided ‘let the ministry resolve it and approve for us to procure the light so we can fix it within 6 months. And within 6 months we install the lighting and the runway will operate 24 hours, it has all been agreed in principle, we are just waiting for implementation.”
“Well, we have in principle the understanding of the ministry and the minister so we are waiting for the documents to come. Its only when the documents come you can start processing the next stage of the business, we are rest assured now that in principle we have all agreed and understood.” On the speculation that there is an existing court case on the runway, Captain Yadudu said, “I am not aware of any court case on the lighting, it’s just that there is an existing contract on it, it was issued many years ago and it’s not something we know much about and so I cannot say much about it, it is however part of government regulations that you cannot procure the same thing twice until you resolve the first one. The ministry has resolved the first one and has taken over, freeing FAAN now with an approval to quickly resolve it because it is a critical requirement. So the key consideration for us here is that if not for the existing contract, we would have finished that before taxiway bravo. If you compare, the lighting is more critical than taxiway bravo but now taxiway Bravo is 95% complete, we just came from there, you will not recognise it from the taxiway that was overridden with grass and a lot of shrubs, and this is brand new. So it’s a clear indication that Airfield lighting, AFL, would have been done if not for the existing contract”, he emphasised.
