…FAAN to fence Benin Airport.
..as hoodlums vandalise ILS base
The enthusiasm expressed by the Edo state Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki recently that the state Airport will soon witness night flights into the airport may have been dashed as the cabling for thw Instrument Landing System, ILS to facilitate the operations have been carted away by unknown persons.
The Nigeria Airspace Management Agency, NAMA had earlier assured the Governor that the installation of the ILS will be the final phase of starting night flight operations into the airport, this is just as the governor Obaseki had thanked the NAMA management for heeding his call to facilitate the operations.
According to investigation, the unknown persons did not just cart away some of the equipment, they also vandalized others, creating more problems for NAMA who had been expended funds in purchasing the ILS and other air navigation facilities to kick start the night operations and ensure safety at the airport.
Because of the incident, the governor ordered the arrest and detention of all airport staff by the men of the Nigerian Air force in Benin but were later released after interrogation.
However, after the news that the ILS will be installed at the airport, report has it that there were series of letters from concerned stakeholders to the Edo state government and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN about the porous nature of the airport due to the absence of a perimeter fence.
In the meantime, FAAN has swung into action as it has awarded the contract for the fencing of the airport to prevent a recurrence of the incident at the airport.
General Manager, Public Affairs, Mrs. Henrietta Yakubu said,” the contract for perimeter fence has been awarded, the Contactor will mobilize to base soonest and the contract for the access road has also been awarded”.
