Aviation: ICRC assesses safety of Murtala Muhammed Airport’s car park
Elizabeth Christopher
Following recent media reports raising concerns over safety at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport’s (MMA) multi-level car park, the management of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) has taken an on-the-spot assessment of the airport’s parking facility.
(The MMA is situated in Lagos, South-west Nigeria.)
The team led by Acting Director-General, Mr. Michael Ohiani, visited the facility which was described in some reports as ‘a den of thieves’ in view of three alleged incidences that took place there in the last week of December 2021.
The ICRC, whose responsibilities includes ensuring regulatory compliance in all Public-Private Partnerships and transactions, undertook the visit for a first-hand assessment and to seek solutions.
However, the visit to the facility revealed that only one incident had been reported, in which case the victim, whose Lexus GX 460 was vandalized, had been compensated and the missing vehicle accessories replaced.
Ohiani, who was taken on a tour of the facility managed by Seymour Aviation Limited, stressed that because car-parking services was the primary amenity being provided by the managers at a fee, vehicles could not be said to be ‘Parked at Owners’ Risk’, as claimed by the service provider.
“If I park my car, it is not at my own risk, provided I pay – if I come here and I park and I do not pay, it is a different ball game.
“I am very happy, though, to know that you have an active insurance policy” the DG added.
The Commission used the opportunity to advise the concessionaire on a new feature in car-parking service model, where car-owners, upon making payment, are allotted specific slots on a particular floor.
“If slot A is given to you and that particular slot has a security issue, it is easier to determine that a particular vehicle in slot A was supposed to park there because your contact number and details are already captured.
“We can use that with appropriate authority where registrations are done to be able to trace criminals.
“But when you allow people to park at their own discretion, it becomes difficult to trace when something happens.
“Going forward I think those are the measures you might like to employ. It also enables you to manage the facility because you will be able to know at a particular time how many slots are taken and how many are available,” he said.
Responding to questions from the ICRC, Ag. DG, Sadiku Abdulkadir Rafindadi, Director of Commercial and Business Development of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), who represented the Managing Director, Capt. Rabiu Hamisu Yadudu, said that some of the news reports or stories peddled about the Airport were not a true reflection of the situation on ground.
He intimated the ICRC DG that following the incidence, an emergency meeting was held and certain decisions were reached to curb future occurrence.
Some of the recommendations from the meeting included: the expansion of CCTV coverage at the car park, connection of the camera feeds to the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal 2 CCTV network and improvement of physical surveillance.
Other measures include: Intelligence-sharing with airport security, prompt reportage of incidences at the car park, addressing other pending cases of vehicle vandalism, among others.
Also speaking, Mr. Francis Ikenga, MD/CEO of Seymour Aviation Limited, managers of the Concession, said that there was a subsisting insurance policy that covered all those who use the car park, reiterating that the victim of the reported incident had already been compensated and the vandalized vehicle parts replaced.
“The car park focuses mainly on safety, security and revenue. If safety and security are not met, then revenue will not be taken,” he added.
He commended the ICRC for the good work being done, adding that if sustained, many Nigerians will reap the benefits.
