Lagos — Barely weeksafter President Goodluck Jonathan’s official visit to China, the Chinese Civil Engineering Construction Company, CCECC, has mobilised to site to begin work on an additional and modern terminal to Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.Government’s plan to build an additional terminal to the airport is with a view to making the airport a hub in West Africa, and it was part of the agreement signed by President Jonathan with his Chinese counterpart to build five ultra-modern international airport terminals in Lagos, Abuja, Kano and Port Harcourt.
The development did not, however, come without a kick from AIC Limited, which accused the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, of conniving with the Chinese firm to take over the land for its proposed hotel, describing same as impunity.
General Manager, Corporate Communications of FAAN, Mr. Yakubu Dati, said yesterday that the Chinese firm had started preliminary work on the project, beginning with soil tests, and site mapping.
He said that the commencement of preliminary work for the construction of ultra-modern international airport terminal at the Lagos Airport was a follow up to the project that started in Enugu on May 18, 2013.
Dati, who noted that completion of the terminal would help position the airport as a hub in West Africa, said: “Work has commenced on the project for the construction of a new international terminal at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, with the mobilisation to site today, (yesterday), of the project contractors, CCECC.
“Preliminary works on the project, including soil tests and site mapping, were carried out as soon as the contractors mobilised to site.
“The governments of Nigeria and China signed a memorandum of understanding for the construction of five ultra- modern international terminals at the country’s major international airports in Lagos, Abuja, Enugu, Kano and Port Harcourt , as part of the transformation agenda in the aviation sector.
“The MMA project is the second of the five projects that have started. The Enugu project started first and its foundation laying ceremony was performed by President Jonathan on May 18, 2013, the same day that the remodelled terminal of Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu was also commissioned.”
