Guardian

DEMAND for air transport services has continued to increase by the year, going by the latest record of air travellers in the country, as released Wednesday by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).

The authority said it recorded about 13. 4 million passengers that travelled through the country ‘s airports last year, against 11 million people that used the gateways in 2011, representing an increase of 2.4 million.

The traffic report for 2012, as released yesterday, was jointly signed by FAAN’s officials- Mrs. Abiola Alaka and Mr. Lawal Abdulahi.

The breakdown of the figure showed that arrival and departure recorded 6.9 million and 6.5 million passengers respectively. It also added that the authority was maintaining ``an international standard of security’’ in all its airports to increase the number of passengers, as well as making the airports safe and comfortable for passengers.

It noted that the management recorded high patronage in April, May, June, July and December 2012, and had put in place measures to ensure high record of passengers in 2013.

According to the report, “Yuletide period was the peak period that the management recorded high patronage as travellers came into the country for holidays”.

It added that FAAN had been working closely with security agencies, including the Police, Customs, Immigration, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the armed forces, to ensure adequate security of all passengers

Speaking in Lagos recently, the General Manager, Corporate Communications, FAAN, Yakubu Dati said: “At present, the authority is focused on the reconstruction of 22 airports across the country as initiated by the Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah-Egiewonyi. The Lagos terminal 1, popularly known as GAT has since been commissioned while the remaining airports are at different stages of completion. Work on the remaining 11 airports in the 2nd phase will soon begin”.

According to him, the modalities are being fine-tuned, to checkmate the abuse of the aviation intervention fund.

“This strategy will plug the loophole that allows fortune seekers free access to these funds.

“Some airports have been designated as agro-allied and cargo terminals to promote investment and make them self-sustaining.

“In the area of safety and security, modern security equipment have been procured following a comprehensive security threat and vulnerability assessment.

“The year 2013 will witness the construction of brand new airport terminals in Abuja, Lagos, Kano and Port Harcourt, and the commencement of the Aerotropolis project; a concept that involves building cities around airports, and thus connecting businesses, suppliers, executives and goods to the aviation global world”, he added.