Two out of the five international airports in Nigeria, Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu and the Port Harcourt international Airport, Rivers State are missing from the international airports that were given fire trucks by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).
LEADERSHIP reports that the administration of ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, had purchased 10 fire trucks for international airports in the country.
The 10 fire trucks were purchased for N12 billion, by the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace, thereby, leading to outrage from Aviation experts who frowned at the huge amount of money used to purchase the trucks.
Also, due to lack of adequate fire cover, a foreign airline, Lufthansa airline, diverted its flight from Port Harcourt International Airport to Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja in July.
According to Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) issued by the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) to airlines, showed that the Port Harcourt airport downgraded its fire category from level 7 to level 6, meaning large aircraft could not operate at the airport.
The NOTAM also indicated that the airport also downgraded the approach lighting capability which means higher visibility will be required for landing in bad weather.
Aviation experts argued that the NOTAM would lead to an increase of insurance premium to the Port Harcourt airport and others in the country.
Also, it was gathered that lack of adequate fire cover at the Port Harcourt Airport contributed to the deaths of passengers in the 2005 Sosoliso crash.
The Sosoliso Airlines flight 1145 is one of the fatal crashes recorded in Nigeria’s aviation, killing 108 passengers on board, including 60 students of Loyola Jesuit School, who were heading home for holiday.
It was, however, gathered that many of the passengers would have been saved with adequate fire cover at the airport.
However, LEADERSHIP exclusively gathered that the 10 fire trucks were distributed among Murtala Muhammed international Airport, (MMIA) Lagos; Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, (NAIA) Abuja and Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, (MAKIA) Kano excluding Akanu Ibiam International Airport, (AIIA) Enugu state and Port Harcourt International Airport, (PHIA) Rivers State.
Reasons for excluding the airports could, however, not be ascertained as at the time of filing this report.
It was gathered that four fire trucks were distributed to MMIA while NAIA and MAKIA got four and two respectively.
Confirming the development to LEADERSHIP, the managing director, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Kabir Muhammed, said the fire trucks are distributed on a 4:4:2 ratio among Lagos, Abuja and Kano Airports.
“They (Fire trucks) are distributed to Lagos, Abuja and Kano in a 4:4:2 ratio,” the FAAN MD stated.
Speaking on the development, the director of research, Zenith Travel Consult, Olumide Ohunayo, said downgrading of Port Harcourt international airport in July that necessitated diversion of Lufthansa flights had shown that the airport doesn’t have enough fire cover.
He said “I don’t want to speculate on the mode of distribution, maybe they have looked at the number of the airports needed. I am very sure if Port Harcourt and Enugu don’t have required fire trucks it will have been downgraded and we know that earlier this year port Harcourt had issue with a fire cover and Lufthansa flight had to divert to Abuja because of the fire cover.
I think it showed that the fire cover in the airport is not adequate enough.”
Ohunayo, however, disclosed that international airports need adequate fire cover and enough water for certification.
“I think international airports need adequate fire cover for certification and for the aircraft size allowed to operate, there must be enough water. It’s one thing to have a fire truck, it is another thing to have enough water, the two must work together.
Also speaking, a security expert and former military commandant at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, Capt. John Ojikutu, said fire trucks are determined by category of traffic and aircraft type that call at the airport.
“Fire trucks at every airport are based on the category of traffic and aircraft type that operate to each airport. Each of the categories are published in Aeronautical information publication (AIP), Aeronautical information services (AIS NOTAMs,) etc.
“Airlines or aircraft operators can read and determine if the fire services category facilities meet their operational needs. I have not been to any of these airports in five years so I won’t know nor be able to comment on their statute,” he stated.
LEADERSHIP reports that the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu state, serves Enugu, Awgu, Abakaliki, Awka, Umuahia; (Onitsha),( Nnewi),(Owerri), Aba, Okigwe, Nsukka, Orlu, Afikpo and Arochukwu, parts of Cross River, Benue and Kogi States of Nigeria.
The Port Harcourt International Airports, Rivers State on its part, service airlines such as, Aero Contractors; Africa’s Connection STP Sao Tome; Air France Paris; Air Peace; Arik Air Abuja; Cronos Airlines; Lufthansa; Qatar Airways; Turkish Airlines and ValueJet.