MMIA Blackouts: Keyamo Threatens To Sack Airport Management

Worried by the recurring total blackouts at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, the minister of aviation and aerospace development, Festus Keyamo, has read the riot act to the management of the facility to sit up or get booted out.

The minister also directed all the airports, particularly the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, to constantly ensure seamless instant power transition in any power outage situation.

Keyamo, who was said to be utterly worried with the viral reports in the traditional and social media of three total blackouts lasting for about three minutes in the airport within the last three days, said a noticeable power outage leading to complete blackout lasting for even a few seconds was not acceptable in any international airport in this age no matter the state of electricity supply.

Ministry sources also said the minister, who is also concerned with the low level of efficiency in the MMIA has therefore directed the management of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport to put all the machineries in place and ensure instant and seamless power supply following any power outage at the airport.

Keyamo, according to his latest directive, pointed out that beyond the embarrassment and discomfort passengers and other airport users suffer during blackouts, the security implications of blackouts are grave, especially with the prevailing insecurity situation in the country.

The minister, who has severally promised to give Nigeria the best in aviation management, vowed to eliminate any impediment in the effective and efficient management of all the airports and other aviation facilities in the country in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the present government

“The minister was emphatic on efficient management of resources in the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, especially in power generation and management,” said a source.

It will be recalled that the management of Murtala Muhammed International Airport had put out a statement of apologies on Saturday over what it called “a brief power outage yesterday February 2nd, 2024 lasting approximately 2-3 minutes during a transfer to backup power after the grid failed.”

At present, the MMIA is expending about N30 million daily on diesel alone, an expenditure industry experts said was bogus and unsustainable.