Airport Manager Harps On Dedicated Power Lines

The Airport Manager, Margaret Ekpo International Airport, Calabar, Mr Mahmoud Sani has stressed the need for dedicated electricity lines from the public power source at the end of the on-going remodelling work at the airport.

Sani who stated this while speaking with newsmen decried a situation where the airport depended mainly on power generating plant for the operations.

He therefore, called for dedicated lines from Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) to the airport so as to reduce the cost of purchasing diesel in running the plant.

“We cannot afford to leave the airport in darkness, we have been running on generator and we have been buying diesel and we make sure the airport is provided with electricity throughout the operational period|, he said.

Sani commended the Cross River State Government for the provision of a 500 KVA generating plant and the overhauling of the old 500 KVA at a time when the airport was going through remodelling.

“If I could have a dedicated line to the airport, the State government has tried to do it, on two occasions the transformers collapsed and that is why we revert to the 11 KVA generators. If the dedicated lines can be revisited, I am sure that a lot of our challenges will be sorted out”.

On the remodelling of the airport, the Airport manager said it was the best thing that happened to the airport, adding that the terminal building had been upgraded to a storey-building and the halls would accommodate 1,500 passengers at the end of the project as against the 200 passengers at present.

He also stated that the check-in counters would increase from 10 to 30, pointing out two two major airlines in the country had indicated interest to fly into the Calabar airport.

Sani said that the upgrading of the airport building to a storey-building would provide opportunities for business activities.

The two times award winning airport manager (2009 and 2011) said it had been very challenging, managing Calabar airport due to the neatness of the city and as a tourist centre, stressing that the airport would not be left untidy being a gateway to the state capital.

According to him, the present management of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has brought confidence and hope to workers of the organisation with the transformation agenda and the assurance of completing all abandoned projects.

On shifting from aeronautical to non-aeronautical services as revenue generating sources for the airport, he explained that shops had been built while plans were on to ensure the abandoned airline office building was completed for rent.

Stories by Reward Akwu