Uriesi, Faan Boss Toasts Abuja GAT Project

Mr. George Uriesi, managing director, Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (Faan) said the commissioning of General Aviation Terminal (GAT) in Abuja is of great significance and product of doggedness.

Uriesi said the event marks the formal commencement of general aviation services at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport since its inception in the early 80s, though it is the second busiest airport in the country, after the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja.

He however admitted that the airport has had to contend with decaying infrastructure and obsolete facilities that belied its position as the second busiest in the country, apart from being situated in the nation’s capital city.

“What was then the airport’s domestic terminal operated both scheduled and non-scheduled flights using the same tarmac and terminal facilities.

“The resultant congestion did not augur well for efficient service delivery hence the need to separate the services into two terminals. Domestic flight operations were transferred to a wing of the international while the old domestic terminal was to be remodelled to serve as the General Aviation Terminal, for more efficient service delivery.

The Faan helmsman said that the new arrangement was made possible by the advent of airport remodelling project initiated by President Goodluck Jonathan and vigorously pursued by the Princess Stella Oduah, minister of Aviation, who has not relented in reminding all of us that implementing the project to the letter is a task that must be done.

He seized the time to announce that the Authority was bracing up for more commissioning ceremonies in the next few months because work on the remodelling of the other terminals under phase I of the airport remodelling project is nearing completion in Benin, Owerri, Yola, Kano, Enugu, Port Harcourt, Kaduna, Calabar and Jos.

“You may also wish to recall that the reconstructed Domestic Terminal I (formerly GAT) of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja was commissioned in October, last year. Work on the remodelling of this new General Aviation Terminal started in October, 2010 and was completed early this month.

“The project entailed the expansion of the old domestic terminal and its conversion to a general aviation terminal for non-scheduled flights. The new terminal has a full complement of modern terminal facilities including check-in counters, shops, offices, duty rooms, conference center, dining room, kitchen, security screening machines and lounges, including a separate lounge for pilots,” he noted.