Access Gate: FAAN rakes in N2.5m in 8 hours as Management finally terminates I-CUBE contract

The Management of Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has finally terminated the collection of revenue contract of i-CUBE West Africa limited at the access gate of Murtala Muhammed International Airport.

Yesterday morning men of the police and Airforce were deployed to the area to ensure sanity after the clash between the contractor and the FAAN staff Monday.

The Deputy National President, Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, ATSSSAN, comrade Sarah Rimdans, who confirmed this said, the termination is with the immediate effect, contained in a letter made available to newsmen.

This development was contained in a memo dated 4th February 2020 signed by the Managing Director of FAAN, Captain Rabiu Yadudu and addressed to the Managing Director of I-Cube.

The memo titled ” Re: Concession Agreement between FAAN and Messrs I-Cube West Africa Limited in respect of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Access Gate”, read:” We refer to the above-mentioned Agreement which commenced on the 10th day of February 2014 and expired on the 9th February 2019.

“Kindly be informed that the Authority has resolved to temporarily take over the management of the said Murtala Muhammed International Airport Access Gate with immediate effect to determine the actual revenue generated from the Access Gate. By this letter, you are requested to vacate the premises immediately.“

“This is to enable the Authority to take appropriate decision on the management of the Access Gate”, Captain Yadudu concluded.

Comrade Rimdans said with the take over of the toll collection yesterday, its staff was able to rake in over N2.5m for the half-day minus ticket sales.

She said on a full day, the collection should be up to N3m and with the number of cars that purchase stickers it should rake in more than N100 million.

“So per annum if we put all those monies together that is why nobody that entered toll gate wants to leave the toll gate because there is money-making in this place.”

Comrade Rimdans stated that the contractor on a monthly basis pays N58m on the contract.

She insisted that the contract with I-CUBE was not terminated untimely but that the contract had expired since last year February.

“Well his contract as I-CUBE expired February of the last year 2019, this is another February 2020 over a year, what he is doing that he could not renew the contract within the time frame of one year.”

On ensuring that money collected by the FAAN staff do not go into private pockets, comrade Rimdans said the collectors would be monitored closely to ascertain how much is collected on a daily basis.