Posted by By Ndubuisi Francis on
Aviation Minister, Dr. Babalola Borishade yesterday gave a marching order to the sub-contractor handling the markings on the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos runway (18R) to position the machines needed for the job on site this evening or face revocation of the contract.
Aviation Minister, Dr. Babalola Borishade yesterday gave a marching order to the sub-contractor handling the markings on the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos runway (18R) to position the machines needed for the job on site this evening or face revocation of the contract.
Borishade has temporaily relocated his office to Lagos since Monday following the unabating spate of incidents on the second runway (18L) which triggered a boycott last weekend by foreign airlines.
Inspecting the level of work on the 18R yesterday, the minister who was piqued by the sub-contractor's handling of the runway markings sought to know what was delaying the work.
In response to the minister's question, the sub-contractor, Alhaji Mustapha Bamanga of Contrad Limited said the machines needed for the markings were yet to arrive as the ship that brought them into the country could not berth due to congestion at the ports.
The sub-contractor said the machines had been shipped from Germany and that the ship should be able to berth by weekend.
Not satisfied with this explanation, the minister asked whether he was aware that the runway will be commissioned next Tuesday, a question Bamanga could not exactly answer.
Not satisfied with the response, the minister asked whether the machines could be sourced locally from the construction companies in the country to which the contractor answered in the affirmative.
Borishade therefore directed that the contractor must at all cost position the machines by evening today so that they will work round the clock through the weekend, threatening that if that was not done, the contract "will be determined" (appraently referring to termination).
He noted that he had made a case for the purchase of the $30,000 machine by the Federal Airports Authorityu of Nigeria (FAAN) which was not followed up.
The minister who said the urgency of the runway had made him miss the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting in Abuja yesterday said he would not leave Lagos until the project is commissioned.
When asked by newsmen what his company's role in the runway resurfacing project is, Bamanga said Contrad Limited is a sub-contractor appointed for runway markings by P.W Ltd which is the main contractor handling the resurfacing.
The minister who had earlier expressed disppointment at the absence of supervisors from the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) from the site, said they were supposed to monitor the quality of work being done by the runway contractors.
He stated that although he was not doubting the quality of work being done, it was proper for the FAAN supervisors to be on the site to monitor developments.
It would be recalled that the 18R runway was over one year ago closed for resurfacing thereby shifting all the traffic in and out of the Lagos Airport on the 18L which before now served only domestic flights.
Arising from pressure on the 18L, there has been constant wear and tear which has caused a spate of incidents which have been recurring in the recent past.
Following the boycot of the Lagos Airport last weekend by foreign airlines and the subsequent closure for almost 48 hours, President Olusegun Obasanjo reportedly directed the minister to make sure the resurfacing of the 18R is completed and commissioned on November 15.