Yadudu explains alleged conflict policies
.The Managing Director of Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria(FAAN),Capt. Yadudu has said that there is no fundamental misunderstanding or conflict between policies and what the Nigerian aviation stakeholders want.
He explained that all policies that have to do with the Organisation had been with the Parastatal for a long time and the implementation is always ongoing.
Fielding question from Airport Correspondents at the venue of the 25thLAAC Conference in Lagos,Yadudu said” Once policies are drafted and approved, they are joined with existing ones and all implemented. FAAN has been in operation for over 40 years and we don’t have any policy outstanding”
.” There are the new ones. Some are with theNigerian Civil Aviation Authority( NCAA), some are industry standard recommended practices. So, we are always in the process of implementation.”
On policies that are allegedly in conflict with some of the operators,
“I believe there is hardly any policy that is in conflict with operators. It is a question of understanding. The policies and implementation are all the same, it is interpretation that may be different.”.
“Usually, it is that interpretation, but you will find that you will all arrive at the same decision (if the interpretation is right). The same intention is being serviced. But if you have the wrong interpretation, then we have to agree when the regulator tells you that your interpretation is wrong. It will always go the way of the regulator.”
In his opinion, the interpretation and absolute understanding lies with the regulator. So, if there is a conflict, it is for the regulator to clear the misunderstanding.
On the CITA mess at airport and its resolution,Yadudu told newsmen that FAAN had already moved forward.
“What brought about the whole issue is that we decided to improve the whole process. The 10-year CITA contract for Lagos and Abuja airports expired last year and FAAN decided to improve the process. Even while the CITA contract ran, some services were not rendered by CITA.”
“ Nonetheless, we ran an open procurement process for the service to be renewed. This type of service is run by only two or three companies in the world. We advertised, two companies responded, and CITA didn’t respond creditably. They gave foreign documents. Naturally, the one that responded with our own documents won. It is a long history but it is all behind us.”
.According to him,the new contract and the project have already been approved by Mr, President. We have improved the process from two airports to now cover all the five international airports – Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Kano and Enugu. At the end of the day, it is going to be better for all of us”
“ We have already started taking delivery of equipment from RESA of France. FAAN went with the right procurement process and we got a better deal. I believe by the middle of next month, we shall be ready to move forward.”
