N10.59bn to procure integrated management systems for 5 airports
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The Federal Executive Council, FEC, has approved the sum of N10,594,057,618.20k for the Aviation Ministry to provide Airport Management Solutions, AMS, to Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos, Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja, Malam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), Kano, Port Harcourt International Airport (PHIA), Port Harcourt, and the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, (AIIA), Enugu.
Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, made the announcement at the end of the FEC meeting on Wednesday, presided by the Vice President, Yemi Oshinbajo.
Hadi Sirika told the media that, the approved memorandum by his ministry was the contract awarded to Arlington Security Nigeria Limited.
He explained that the security company would install a system that would facilitate common use of terminal equipment required for sharing airport resources in accordance with IATA Recommendation 1797.
The Minister said that the project would be completed in 12 months and subject to 7.5% Value Added Tax (VAT
He said the Airport Management System, AMS, when installed will “allow flexible sharing of resources for check-in and boarding, such as servers, work stations, associated peripherals between airlines and handling agencies present at the airport,” he said.
Sirika noted that the system would also provide for baggage drop, which makes it faster and quicker for passenger processing”.
According to the Minister, other components of the AMS that Arlington Security will provide include, “local departure control systems. This is aimed at airlines that are still using manual procedures like locals, domestic and charter etc.
He explained that,“the system secures and accelerates these operations while ensuring better service for passengers. The system also accepts mobile phone boarding pass or home printed boarding pass, which we didn’t have before,” Sirika enthused.
He said the much needed AMS would play vital role in baggage reconciliation system as it would enables the tracking of baggage from the time passengers arrive up to the time they drop their baggage.
Hadi Sirika explained, “baggage information automaticallya goes into the system and then goes into the aircraft itself. So, this will eliminate the issue of missing baggage or mix-up of baggage to arrive at another location not intended,” he said.
He affirmed that the system would also provide for E-Gates that would be electronically operated describing it as “access control to restrict only passengers and staff to have access to designated areas. The E-gate provides platform to monitor and control to the boarding area” he said.
Explaining further on the E-Gate the Minister said, “In other words, if you come to a self-check-in desk, or you check online or through your mobile phone or at home, you can simply come and swipe,” he concluded.
An Integrated Management System (IMS), ditto for airport is one that combines all aspects of an organisation’s systems, processes and Standards into one smart system. This merger allows a business to streamline its management, save time and increase efficiency by addressing all elements of the management system as a whole.
Soon, our airports would be assessed to determine how their operations commensurate to the series of investments in their automation which began when Mavis won the bid to provide similar services for our airports.
During the tenure of Mavis Nigeria Ltd, facilitation improved and the era of electronic board system flagged off at the Murtala Muhammed International Airports with the understanding of a gradual extension to other airports.
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