(http://fmi.gov.ng/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/DSC_0044-300x199.jpg) Established in 1979 to cater for a traffic of over 200 passengers daily, the Benin Airport is being remodeled by the Federal Government to now accommodate about 400 passengers at a time.
Briefing members of the National Good Governance Tour at the Airport on Sunday, the Airport Manager, Mr. Ayodele Sunday said "because of the improvement in the socio-economic activities of the State it was impossible to accommodate users of the airport. He said for a very long time the airport was more or less abandoned.
"We thank God that we have a President and also a Minister (Aviation) that is very visionary and they are agents of transformation.
"If you were here 11years ago, it was actually an airport that one would consider in shambles. It was totally neglected. It is an airport that now goes along with a lot of compliments. Before, we did not have Airconditioning, now we do. The conveyor belt will come, and just yesterday we also took delivery of 1000KVA generator and everything has been going on smoothly.
He said previously the airport only had Arrival and Departure halls but now it has a public concourse.
"Apart from the completed Departure and Arrival halls, also completed are the ticketing/airline offices.
In addition, also being constructed simultaneously is a new control tower as well as improved weather forecast equipment and new terminal building.
He equally informed that to raise air safety, a Wind Shear Alarm System has been installed at the airport.
Sunday further stated that total VHF coverage has also been achieved at the Airport. According to him, the console the airport started with has been replaced with the new equipment.
"An aircraft that now takes off from Lagos can contact Benin. All the controllers are now very busy because Benin is an enroute station. Aircrafts going to Port Harcourt, going to Enugu, Asaba, Warri are being controlled here.
While commending the work done so far, the Nigeria Union of Journalists President, Mallam Mohammed Garba assured that the media would follow up on the project to verify that the commissioning takes place in two weeks as promised by the airport manager.
The Minister of Works, Arc. Mike Onolememen, who hales from Edo State praised the aviation Minister for totally transforming the Benin airport.
"If you used to know what the Benin airport used to look like and what it is today you will better appreciate the works that has been done here. It is a very good sign of the many good things that will happen not only in the Aviation Sector but indeed other sectors of the national economy as encapsulated in the Transformation Agenda of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan", the Works Minister stated.
"My only plea to FAAN is that they develop a means of sustaining this development because sustainability is key", he added.
The Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku noted that the country was now having standard airports that could measure up with those all over the world.
He said "The airports before now were like poultry sheds. If you go to old Akure Airport you would know what that kind of vision was. And an airport must have space for the operation of other businesses around the airport. I want to commend the Minister of Aviation again, Princes Stella Oduah for her drive and what she had done in our airports.
"This is the 11th airport under transformation. Kano has been commissioned, Lagos has been commissioned and Benin is virtually ready for commissioning with the exception of the lighting system which is being done to ensure this place has light to carry the new A.Cs.
"We also have 100 percent radar coverage of Nigerian Airspace now. Anyone who flies into Nigeria from anywhere, we will pick you on our radar. This has been done in the last two years to ensure safety.
Responding to a question the Information Minister said Nigeria was not the only country having airports within city vicinity. He said
"It is our belief that God helping us, because even accidents could still occur with the most equipped airports. There are certain elements that are beyond human control but as we get more equipment, better aircrafts, better safety equipment accidents will reduce to the barest minimum.
He said the Ministry of Aviation, Private Sector operators and banks were working together to access newer aircrafts, pointing out however that the issue was not necessarily with the age of an aircraft but maintenance.
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Via: Federal Ministry of Information (FMI) Nigeria