FAAN commends Lagos Govt. for integrating MMIA into its transportation program
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Lagos State Governor, Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, at one of the zoom meetings
6Passengers, airport workers and tourists to the four terminals at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja, Lagos, would soon enjoy luxurious transportation connectivity from the Lagos State Government integrated mass transit program, either through the Red line, (light train) or the high capacity luxurious buses from the terminal at Ikeja, on the Oshodi-Ikeja expressway, to the General Aviation Terminal, GAT, MMA2, and the two international terminals.
To this end, concrete modalities are being worked out as the state Governor, Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, and the Managing Director, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, Capt Rabiu Yadudu and his team, had held over five zoom meetings in this regard, in the current year, 2021.
Capt Yadudu while speaking after an inspection tour of various projects on passengers’ facilitation and safety of humans and materials at the airport, said passengers would soon access the airport free of hassles especially from the Ikeja axis of the city of aquatic splendour.
The Managing Director of FAAN expressed immense gratitude to Governor Sanwo-Olu for graciously consenting to the prayers of FAAN for the MMIA to be linked with any of the mass transit, train/bus, of the state government.
He said the integration of Lagos airport into the Lagos state government’s transportation masterplan would ensure either a light train/luxurious high capacity buses transport airport-bound passengers comfortably from the bus/train terminals at the other side of the express road to the airport.
Yadudu said the governor’s agreement in principle to extend the state government’s integrated transportation project to the airport would provide great relief for travellers and airport workers who often are weighed down with the cumbersome and expensive private commercial means of transportation and often without the expected comfort in relation to the fare paid.
The FAAN helmsman revealed that his management was disposed to the rail transport hence, the entire architectural drawings were ready, the civil engineering requirements had also been fully developed and the next meeting would only generate collective agreement on where to cross the T-s and how to dot the I-s.
He said as soon as the Memorandum of Understanding MOU, is signed, those that would invest in the project had also been itching to get the nod and hit the ground running with the view to deliver in record time under very close supervision of competent engineers of FAAN.
Capt Yadudu also commended governor Sanwoolu for his sterling leadership qualities as demonstrated through his intervention in the environmental abuse by about three local governments within the airport communities whose laxity had begun to constitute a threat to air safety and security.
He narrated that the convergence of mega drainage along the airport’s fence by three local governments had begun to percolate into the runway, attracted wildlife that could cause bird strikes in aircraft, among others.
He however noted that with the intervention of the governor, corrective measures started in earnest on the diversion to ensure the wastewater doesn’t hit the airport fence nor be allowed to form a sewage pool by the perimeter fence which could attract birds, and the potential danger is better imagine than experienced
Yadudu said the quality of leadership exhibited by the Governor was responsible and responsive in a way that was unparalleled saying he marvelled at governor Sanwo-Olu’s prompt approach to issues that got to him.
Albeit, the FAAN MD/CEO said as soon as talks on the modalities for transportation linkage is concluded, FAAN would begin implementation without any delay as the comfort of airport users was uppermost with the airport management especially the aviation minister.
THE RED LINE
The Lagos state government Red line rail mass transit project is a 37 km North-South rail route. It will run on the same alignment with the Standard Gauge Rail system being constructed by the Federal Government as part of the national rail network.
The light rail will run from Agbado to Marina with 12 proposed stations at Agbado, Iju, Agege, Ikeja, Oshodi, Mushin, Yaba, Ebute Meta, Ido, Ebute Ero, and Marina.
The red line would also be sharing the same corridor with the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) from Agbado to Ebute Metta and then carry on across the lagoon to Marina via Iddo, with the Marina Station sharing the hub with integrated transport modes at the Blue line.
According to the Director, Rail Transport, Lagos Area Metropolitan Transport Authority, LAMATA, Olasunkanmi Okusaga, the proposed gauge for the red line is 1435mm and the line when completed would carry 750,000 passengers per day at inception and 1.1 million per day, when fully operational.
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