Tag Archives: Kaduna Airport

House Committee To Assess Safety At Kaduna Airport

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The House of Representatives has directed its Committee on Aviation to ascertain the operational safety at the Kaduna International Airport.

The House gave the order in spite of the pass mark given by the Minister of Information on the operations at the airport.

The decision by the Lower Chamber was however, opposed by some lawmakers who argued that the Abuja Airport would be ready and operational soon.

The House Committee on Aviation has been mandated to ascertain if industry standards were complied with at the airport.

The Committee was also directed to assess the extent of work done so far at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport and report to the House in one week.

 

Source: Channels TV

BREAKING: EFCC Intercepts N49 Million Cash At Kaduna Airport [Photos]

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In what can be described as another huge success for the agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has intercepted five sacks containing N49m at the Kaduna International Airport following a tip off.

Disclosing this to newsmen on Tuesday at the agency’s Kaduna Zonal office, Ibrahim Bappa said that the notes recovered were wrapped in Nigerian Security and Minting  Plc (NSPM) labels.

“The report which was made at about 8pm stated that during the routine baggage screening of supposed check in baggage, five sacks were sighted unattended to and without tags containing fresh bulk items suspected to be money from the aroma perceived from the sacks. The owner of the money later showed up but couldn’t  state the exact money in the sacks or present document authenticating the genesis of the monies,” he said.

Speaking further, he said that  the individual who failed to give concrete explanation, disappeared before the arrival of EFCC operatives.
Bappa said that the sacks were found to contain 200 bundles of N200 notes totaling N40m and 180 bundles of N50 notes totaling N9m.

The recovered money was handed over to  officials of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for custody in EFCC’s recovery account.

Airlines at Kaduna airport insist on cash payment

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Air passengers plying the Kaduna International Airport (KIA) are facing fresh hurdles as airlines operating at the aerodrome are insisting on only cash transactions.

The newly refurbished airport, which also serves as an alternative to the closed Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja, is currentlyoperat without Automated Teller Machines (ATM), Point of Sale (PoS) and Bureau de Change (BDC) outlets to serve international passengers especially.

Some passengers without cash to buy tickets or prior booking arrangements are left stranded at the airport. The development is coming at a time the Federal Government is working to ensure a seamless transition, as the airport is the only route to connect the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), which is the seat of the government. Besides, the cash-only syndrome runs contrary to the cashless policy of the economy.

“There are three of the airlines heading to Lagos almost at the same time, which is good anyway. To buy ticket became the problem. The first said its PoS was not working, the other two said they did not even have at all. And this is supposed to be an international airport?

“I didn’t know how big the shit was until I asked for an ATM and they said there was none around, except if I go to town some 10 to 20kilomatres away,” he said.

Another traveller, Emmanuel, also expressed concerns on services rendered by airlines officials at the airport, who insisted on closing the counter by 4:00 p.m.

Emmanuel, who travelled by rail from Abuja yesterday to catch a Lagos flight, was shocked to find the airline’s counter closed by 4:30p.m. When he insisted on flying, since the aircraft was still on ground and seats available, he was given a bill of N28,000 instead of N16,000 promo fare. Emmanuel got a hand-written boarding pass in exchange for the N28,000.

When asked why the airline had no PoS and the counter closed early, an Arik Air official said it was the norm around there.“That is how we operate here. We don’t use PoS. You either bring your money or forget it,” the official fired back.

The Communications Manager for Dana Air, Kingsley Ezenwa said the development was unusual and they were doing everything possible to go cashless in Kaduna by today or tomorrow.

“We have been on this for a while. But it is the banks that kept delaying us. We pushed them all through last week to put the necessary things in place. We know its importance to making passengers have seamless travel experience and we will stop at nothing to have the PoS option working. If not tomorrow (today), then Tuesday latest,” he said.

The Spokesperson of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Henrietta Yakubu, also confirmed that the banks were in the process of beginning operations at the airport, to support transactions, whether cash or cashless.

Yakubu assured that the likes of Zenith, Guaranteed Trust Bank (GTB) and First Bank were due to begin operations and open ATM facilities this week.
It was also learnt yesterday that the Nigeria International Trade and Investment Conference (NITIC) 2017 scheduled to hold this month in Abuja has been postponed.

The organisers, Africa International Trade and Development Trust, said the postponement was due to ongoing repairs on the runway of the Abuja airport.

The conference with the theme “Multiple Frontiers: Moving Away From Oil” is aimed at bringing local and international stakeholders together to discuss international trade and investment in the non-oil sector, focusing on agribusiness, manufacturing and financial services.

The event endorsed by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development initially scheduled to hold this month at the NAF Conference Centre in Abuja would now take place in June at the same venue.

The spokesperson for the organisers, Sand Mba Kalu said: “Efforts to convince registered participants and embassies to use the Kaduna International Airport were not successful. We have talked to several of them but they seemed not interested in coming through Kaduna airport. So, the only option was to postpone the event to June when renovation work at the Abuja airport runway would have been completed.”

Meanwhile, the United Nations Aviation School Project has commenced the training of all Aviation Security (AVSEC) personnel in Nigeria.The training, The Guardian learnt, is to effectively mitigate the threat posed to civil aviation by terrorist organisations around the world. It will also provide a key element for a robust national aviation security policy to meet global standards in infrastructure, safety and security.

The initiative would enhance the capacity within the UN system to help interested member states to implement the multiple dimension of countering terrorism.

The 120-day event tagged: ‘’Train the Trainer’’ is simultaneously ongoing in Lagos and Abuja.The UN-initiated programme comprises 34 aviation security personnel from both Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN). While NCAA has four, FAAN which provides security surveillance at all the airports has 30 participants.

The Spokesperson of the NCAA, Sam Adurogboye, confirmed that a total of 25 countries were considered and Nigeria was chosen for the pilot training.

 

Source: The Guardian

Foreign airlines reverse boycott of Kaduna airport as Ethiopian Airlines complete first flight

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Some foreign airlines have reversed their boycott of Kaduna International Airport as alternative aerodrome during the temporary closure of Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA) Abuja, for repair works.

The Guardian learnt that following an inspection of the refurbished Kaduna airport, carriers like Lufthansa have now expressed their intention to fly to Kaduna.

Meanwhile, Ethiopian Airlines’ Boeing 787 Dream Liner was welcomed to a ceremonial water shower Wednesday in Kaduna, to flag off the beginning of Abuja-bound flights diversion and closure of Abuja airport.

Minister of State for Aviation, Hadi Sirika, while welcoming Ethiopian Airlines and rounding off inspection of the new terminal, said: “I told Lufthansa in Frankfurt and British Airways that we are in the time of need but not stupid to close down Abuja and open Kaduna. It borders on safety.

“My disappointment was that none of them came to inspect the Kaduna airport to see what we have or don’t have. If they had done so, I would have provided for them what they need.

“Ethiopian Airlines are here today because they came here to inspect. They said, well, your fire cover is Category 7, you need to upgrade to Category 9. They said also your tower is obstructed where it is, is not fair enough, bring in the mobile tower. And I said done, to prove to them that we are ready to please back them.”

Sirika disclosed that the foreign airlines, however, came on March 1 to inspect the Kaduna airport and began to have a change of mind. “They visited Kaduna and saw the amount of work done. They saw the airfield lighting, runway markings and other things we have done. They saw the general ambiance of the security.

“They saw all these and said they would reconsider, sending reports to their headquarters. Most of them have called us that they have considered. One of the airlines (Lufthansa) has said that they will begin next week,” he said.

Managing Director of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Capt. Fola Akinkuotu, said given the level of investment already deployed to Kaduna, “it is better for the airlines and also for commercial reasons, to operate from here.”

In a related development, the House of Representatives yesterday called for urgent acquisition and installation of Instrument Landing Systems (ILS) in all federal airports in the country.

Following a motion by Igariwey Iduma Enwo (PDP, Ebonyi), lawmakers maintained that the equipment would specifically help airlines and airports to continue operations in low visibility conditions such as heavy rain, very low cloud or harmattan haze and at night.

 

Source: The Guardian

Abuja airport shuts down for 6 weeks from tonight as work begins on runway.

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The Federal Government yesterday officially announced the temporary closure of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja, for six-week rehabilitation work on its runway.

It was learnt that the repair exercise and logistics would cost N5.8bilion.The announcement was made jointly by the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, his counterparts in Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi and Aviation, Hadi Sirika, yesterday to put an end to weeks of speculations, debates and apprehension on a likely postponement of the closure date given the state of preparedness at the Kaduna Airport.

Mohammed said the airport, which would be closed for six weeks would be officially shut from 12 a.m. today.Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, said the Federal Government had fulfilled its promise to make the Kaduna Airport available and ready as an alternative.

Most floor and ceiling tiles have been fitted and all air conditioning units have been installed, but electrical fittings remain work-in-progress, chairs for the arrival and departure areas lie strewn about and a car park expansion is incomplete.

“Contractors are working day and night,” said an official from the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), who is not authorised to talk publicly on the matter.

This situation runs contrary to the statement of the Managing Director of FAAN, Mr. Saleh Dunoma, who said in Abuja, the Kaduna Airport is now set for international operations.

According to Dunoma, “All the things we need for international operations are on ground. What is important actually is the safety equipment for the landing of the aircraft. We have seen the runway is good, the Instrument Landing System (ILS) has been installed and the terminal building is ready.

He added: “I think this is one of the luckiest airports. They have five generators as standby power supply. So we have more than enough.Also, Fola Akinkuotu, Managing Director of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that once the Abuja Airport was closed, NAMA would deploy the mobile tower from the airport to Kaduna to complement what is already on ground.Akinkuotu said: “As far as this (Kaduna) airport is concerned, NAMA management is very satisfied that we have done a good job.

 

Source: The Guardian

IGP Inspects Kaduna Airport, Pledges Adequate Security For Passengers.

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The Inspector-General Of Police, Ibrahim Idris, has assured airlines and passengers flying into and out of the Kaduna Airport of maximum security.

IGP Idris made the pledge on Sunday when he inspected the security arrangement at the Kaduna airport and its environs.

The inspection comes as part of security preparation ahead of the closure of the Abuja International Airport on March 8 for repair works.

On arrival at the airport, the Police boss was received by the DIG Operations, Joshak Habila, and other top police officers.

 

He then proceeded to the terminal building where he inspected the security control room, arrival and departure halls among others.

From the airport, Mr Idris and his entourage moved to the Rigasa Railway which is a few kilometres away from the airport to ascertain the security arrangement at the train station.

Speaking to reporters after the inspection, he expressed satisfaction with the level of security arrangement in place.

IGP Idris said that in addition to maximum security already in place on the Abuja-Kaduna highway, there would be about three helicopters on aerial patrols, as well as additional personnel on ground to provide security to buses and trains that would be conveying passengers to and from the Federal Capital Territory.

 

Source: Channels TV

Aviation minister invites foreign airlines to inspect Kaduna Airport

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Hadi Sirika, minister of aviation, has invited foreign airline operators to inspect the Kaduna international airport.

The airport will be used as an alternative during the six weeks that Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, would be closed.

Speaking on Thursday during a meeting with representatives of the foreign airlines operating the Abuja route, Sirika said he called the meeting to know if the operators would need additional facilities at the Kaduna airport.

The minister said the Kaduna airport was fully ready to accommodate traffic diversion from Abuja between March 8 and April 9 – the period the Abuja runway would be undergoing repairs.

“We also planned to invite you to visit Kaduna probably in the next few days which we will be showing you the level of preparedness for the movement into Kaduna,” Sirika said.

“I thought it wise that at this point in time, having made Kaduna very ready for the operation, there is need to discuss certain things with you. I have called this meeting to discuss how movement into Kaduna would look like and to know if there are further requirements.”

Although, representatives of the foreign airlines declined to speak with journalists after the meeting, it was learnt that the Ethiopian Airlines expressed its readiness to fly to the Kaduna airport.

 

Source: The Cable