By ITOHAN ABARA-LASERIAN

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr Festus Keyamo, SAN, on Friday inaugurated the remodeled E-Wing and E-Gate at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos.

Keyamo said that airport development was driven by collaborations and partnerships.

He said that this had driven the partnership between the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and the United Bank for Africa (UBA).

Commending the bank for the partnership, the minister said that the remodelling would be extended to the D-Wing.

“This is part of the general plan of FAAN, endorsed by the Ministry to continue to remodel our airports. So, in partnership with private entities within our limited resources, we are able to make the airport more user-friendly.

“What we are doing here today is the commissioning of the remodeled E Wing departure and our concessionaires have done tremendous work in partnership with the UBA.

“I am sure you see the new floor, the more lighted departure hall and of course the adverts everywhere of the UBA; from here we are going to go to other wings of this airport, we are going to go to Wing D,” he said.

According to Keyamo, the remodelling will be replicated in the arrival hall.

Speaking on extortion and conduct of airport personnel, the minister said that the image of aviation agencies and the country should be considered above personal interest.

“It is for their image, for our image, the image of the country as a whole and especially the image of these agencies that people normally lampoon over their conduct.

“I am sure you have seen reviews online; people said their experience through this airport has improved a lot, there is less harassment, more professionalism on the part of all the agencies,” he said.

Keyamo said that the ministry and the FAAN Managing Director, Mrs Olubunmi Kuku, had been working with the National Security Advisor (NSA) and updated him about every step taken.

He also used the E-Gate for the first time.

The Group Managing Director, UBA, Mr Oliver Alauba, said that the bank had been working on the partnership for two years to improve airport infrastructure.

“This is just an example of what public-private partnership can do, and you have seen that the minister is committed to improving the aviation infrastructure and government cannot do that alone.

“So, private sector has to come here, and UBA clearly is providing that support that is needed at this time.

“This is just the first phase, like the minister said, it is just the E-Wing departure, we are also going to do the D-Wing departure,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the minister also inaugurated four Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses to aid passenger movement.

CNG is a clean fuel that is more energy efficient, emits fewer greenhouse gases than diesel and is cheaper than petrol. (NAN)