The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has ordered that the old international terminal of Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos be shut down by October 1.

He also directed the immediate suspension of the Nigeria Air project and the concession project, stressing that he owes it to the government and Nigerians to give an honest assessment.

Mr Keyamo gave the directive during an on-the-spot facility tour of Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos on Thursday.

The minister said the new Chinese-constructed terminal would begin operations on October 1 to give room for the complete maintenance of the old terminal.

He said: “We must use what we have for now. I have given both international airlines and local airlines till October 1 to move from the old terminal to the new one.

“We are going to shut down the old terminal temporarily and sort out all the issues surrounding the old terminal, such as concession agreements.”

He said the old international terminal was an eyesore, including the toilets and arrival and departure halls.

“The lifts are not working, the passage is unwelcoming, and there is no air conditioner. We have the new terminal, but it cannot be used. It was designed without provision for big planes,” the minister said.

Mr Keyamo directed the ministry to relocate the Dominion Air and EAN hangar to create an apron facility for bigger aircraft to come to the new terminal.

He said the government would have an emergency procurement to provide buses to transit international passengers to and from where the wide-body aircraft could park and disembark.

Mr Keyamo said 60 per cent of revenue that FAAN generates comes from the Lagos airport, saying that beyond that, it was the gateway and the first impression getting into the country.

The minister was at the MMA1, MMA2, Fire Service, and the old and new international terminals. 

(NAN)