FG Deploys N12bn Fire Trucks To Lagos, Kano, Abuja Airports
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The federal government at the weekend inaugurated 10 brand new fire-fighting trucks worth over N12 billion to be deployed in Lagos, Kano and Abuja airports.
The trucks were handed over to the Aerodrome Rescue and Fire-fighting Service (ARFFS) department of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).
The Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, who inaugurated the trucks, said lack of adequate fire cover at the Port Harcourt Airport contributed to the deaths of passengers in the 2005 Sosoliso crash.
The Sosoliso Airlines flight 1145 is one of the fatal crashes recorded in Nigeria’s aviation, killing 108 passengers on board, including 60 students of Loyola Jesuit School, who were heading home for holiday.
The minister said many of the passengers would have been saved with adequate fire cover at the airport.
He said the 10 trucks would help in curtailing any unforeseen disaster and improve the safety rating of the airports.
The minister noted that the Muhammadu Buhari-led administration had made its focal point since 2015 to invest in safety critical equipment to improve safety, security and efficiency of air transportation.
“You all remember our children that left Abuja to Port Harcourt in the Sosoliso crash, we couldn’t save these children because when the aircraft landed, they were still alive, we didn’t have adequate proper fire cover to save those lives. Parents were seeing their children burnt alive. It is so sad,” he said.
Managing Director of FAAN, Capt. Hamisu Yadudu, said, “These vehicles would be deployed to Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja and Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), Kano while we are also processing additional vehicles for Port-Harcourt and Enugu.”
“In addition to acquisition of the major firefighting vehicles we have procured eight (8) new water tankers for continuous agent applications and more will still come. Additional eleven (11) ambulances were also procured to replace the obsolete ones that were bought in 1996,” he added.
