Federal government has ruled out chances that the Senate can halt the ongoing demolition of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) structures at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos.
The Senate had on Tuesday adopted a resolution, instructing the minister of aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, to halt the demolition of the structures, which houses agencies involved with aviation activities, until its Committee on Aviation wraps up its intervention in the matter.
However, Sirika, who reacted to the Senate’s directive after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, said the Senate resolution, which he described as just advisory, could not stop the demolition.
It would be recalled that the Senate, after the chairman of its committee on Aviation, Senator Biodun Olujimi, called its attention to the development and the threat by aviation workers to resume strike, had ordered that the Ministry of Aviation stopped the demolition.
The Union of Air Transport Employees, Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals, and National Association of Aircrafts Pilots and Engineers, had threatened strike over the demolition.
Explaining the reasons for the demolition of the FAAN structures, which he described as makeshift, the minister said government would go on with its plan to make use of the land by building something befitting Lagos and in the interest of the majority of Nigerians, the Senate’s directive notwithstanding.
“So, to put it in perspective, the intent of the government is to remove the structure that is housing the offices of the Managing-Director of FAAN and those commercial departments.
It was a structure that was made of wood, it’s been there for 40 years, it has caught fire twice, even during our ministry, and to give way for better development for what Lagos has become; it’s the gateway.
“We want to put hotels there, shopping malls, offices, cinemas and the rest of it, so FAAN can make more money. The entire number of people within that structure is not more than 150 or 200 in that headquarters.
“So, the government is going to continue, of course. The Senate is advisory, it’s an executive function, we’re not barred by any court of law. So, it’s an executive function and the government cannot be stopped from giving development to its people.
“Just the other day, some houses were demolished by Lagos State on our behalf, we’ve been on that issue for some time, we went up to the Supreme Court and won. They have to give way for developments. This is in national interest.
“If individuals will drag it out with the government, there’s no government worker that can drag it out of the government. If I want to pull down this hall and build a better one, who will come and stop me from doing that as a government?” he said.
Meanwhile, the minister reiterated the determination to see that Nigeria’s national carrier, Nigeria Air Limited, starts operation within the remaining days of the Buhari administration.
“I think three weeks is a lot of time. Yeah. By the special grace of God, it will fly and don’t forget we didn’t start today. We started this in 2015. We drew up the road-map, we got the transaction advisors in 2016. From 2016 we’ve been planning and planning and planning.
“Many airlines came, more than 50% of the airlines today in Nigeria were licensed by us, by the Buhari’s administration. One of the airlines, United that went to court today, we gave him the license, the Buhari government, and he’s never been to the office of the minister. He didn’t even know it. ValueJet, we gave him the licence.
“The first I saw him was at the commissioning of Ogun Airport. Rano Air, Uza Air, all of them. Even Air Peace, which is the biggest airline, when we came in 2015, how many airlines did they have? The growth and robustness of Air Peace is because we gave them the enabling environment as a Buhari government to do it.
“So, we didn’t stop anybody from doing it. We will do it by the grace of God and we will give Nigeria the airline that it deserves for the market, for the population, for the centrality and for everything. We will do it Isha Allah”, he assured.
Asked if there is a sustainable plan to continue with the new government, Sirika said, “Well, we are committed and luckily it is APC that will be in power again. We are committed to this project. This project is good for the Nigerian economy, for the travelling people.
“You will all agree with me that unfortunately from the time of Kabo, Okada, Harco, Chanchangi, Albarka, and the rest of them, about 60 of them went down the drain. We don’t want our airlines to be dying because people are putting their money in there.”
We’ve got the edge. Get real-time reports, breaking scoops, and exclusive angles delivered straight to your phone. Don’t settle for stale news. Join LEADERSHIP NEWS on WhatsApp for 24/7 updates →
Join Our WhatsApp Channel
