FAAN Rakes In N120m From Disused Airplanes Airline Chief Decry Towing Of Planes On Lagos Roads BEYOND ridding the nation’s airports of disused aircraft, there are indications that the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) may have made a fortune from the disposal of the equipment. This revelation came as Chairman of Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), Dr. Steve Mahonwu, described the manner aircraft were towed along the road as absurd. Noting that the last may not have been heard of the matter, he said it is only in Nigeria that such could happen. It was learnt that each of the disposed aircraft have high economic value just as each of the abandoned airplanes goes for as high as N2 million. At a point, there were over 60 privately-owned airplanes at airports in Lagos, Kano, Abuja, Port-Harcourt, Benin, Kaduna, Ilorin, among others. Deputy Secretary General of Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), Mohammed Tukur, said the aircraft have high economic value, adding that a disused BAC1-11 aircraft costs between N2 million and N2.5 million. Among abandoned aircraft types were largely B737-200/300, BAC1-11, B727, Cessna, Police choppers and other aircraft types. For over 60 abandoned planes, at least, N120 million could have gone to the airport authority as proceeds from sale of the scraps. The aircraft frames are made of aluminium and, in most cases, are smelted for fabrication of kitchen utensils like spoons, forks, among others. The FAAN had early this year given owners of the abandoned airplanes some months to evacuate their property or would be confiscated and sold to would-be-buyers. The late Gabriel Oduyemi’s light airplane was sold to Captain M.J. Ekehinde for educational purposes. The aircraft became a subject of discourse because of the crude manner it was being towed on a busy road along Igando-LASU last week Thursday. It also raised posers on who authorised its release to be towed in such embarrassing manner. A couple of months ago, some aluminum smelters were seen at the airside of the Lagos airport cutting aircraft parts and smelting. The authority was in a long drawn battle with the owners who tasked them to provide them with a ‘grave yard’ for dismantling of the planes. They had gone to court to restrain the FAAN from carrying out the action, just as the aviation agency cited security and attraction of birds to the area, which have caused birds entering the engines of planes and damaging them. Tukur, however backed the agency, saying, Lyou cannot abandon your aircraft for years in airports. If you do not need them again, it is the duty of FAAN to take them away”. I support FAAN on this. Abandoned airplanes at our airport is a huge embarrassment to the country and in this period of insecurity, they must leave the airport”, he added. Speaking to The Guardian, spokesman for FAAN, Yakubu Dati explained that the removal of abandoned aircraft was as a result of threats they pose to the safety and security of the airports and aircraft. “Apart from providing safe haven for terrorists, these aircraft are potential homes to birds and the danger of bird strikes is obvious. Following the expiration of deadlines, interested owners reclaimed theirs and those left unattended were evacuated forthwith”, he added.
Posted on: Mon, 17 Jun 2013 03:34:00 +0000
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