The Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, yesterday, met with the management team of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) ahead of next Saturday’s reopening of airspace for international flights.
He said some of the facilities installed in the airport at inception were due for modernisation and upgrade.
Sanwo-Olu particularly made a case for the provision of fast free Internet connectivity within lounges at the airport, adding that the era of passengers sitting for long without Internet access had passed.
A statement on Tuesday said the governor spoke during a meeting with the FAAN management at Alausa, Ikeja, ahead of next Saturday’s re-opening of airspace for international flights.
He said, “Travellers across the world are looking for destinations where things they enjoy in their comfort zones are provided.
“As a state government, we are taking complementary efforts to ensure the airport promotes business and is safe for travellers. We have started the construction of a massive bus terminal along the airport road, which will be complemented with a rail project.
“The rail project is part of the Red Line Rail project, which will start from Ebute-Metta and pass through Oshodi. The right-of-way of this project has been determined and we are hoping the project will start before the end of the year.”
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When we provide services and infrastructure that will drive traffic to our airport, not only will it triple the revenue generated for the government, it will also improve the status of the airport within the continent.”
Sanwo-Olu said officials of the state government were working round the clock with the Federal Government to put safety protocols in place at the airport and drive compliance.
The FAAN team, led by its Managing Director, Captain Rabiu Yadudu, asked the governor to assist in the provision of BRT buses to commute passengers from the car park to departure and arrival halls, expansion of strategic airport roads, and halting of encroachment on the airport land around Ajao Estate and Shasha.
Yadudu used the opportunity to thank the state government for the construction of the airport road from Oshodi, noting that the intervention has strengthened the partnership between Lagos State government and FAAN.
