FAAN commences work on airport runway safety

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has commenced an intensive re-assessment of runways at the nation’s airports.
This move is aimed at improving on the efficiency of the facilities, thereby forestalling potential accidents on the runways.

In a statement issued by Henrietta Yakubu, general manager, corporate affairs, FAAN, she said although, the regular friction measurement for Port Harcourt International Airport was conducted in March 2019 and the result fell within the minimum friction coefficient level, the facility witnessed a skidding incident recently.
“It is therefore with the intention to increase the friction coefficient levels of our runways in accordance with NCAA advisory circular that the Authority is embarking on this exercise across the nation’s airports as the rain is becoming very heavy and unpredictable.
“As a short term measure to increase the safety of the Port Harcourt runway, the Authority just carried out a de- rubberization exercise between 15 to 22 June, 2019 to remove any contaminant,” Yakubu added.

Related News

Recalled that the Port Harcourt airport runway was shut down temporarily on Saturday 22nd of June at 3.42pm after Air Peace aircraft skidded off the runway over a heavy downpour, resulting to low visibility at the airside.
Toyin Olajide, the chief operating officer of the airline, who confirmed the incident said that Air Peace Flight P47291 Abuja-Port Harcourt had a runway excursion upon landing at the Port Harcourt International Airport on June 22 due to heavy downpour.

IFEOMA OKEKE

Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha is the Aviation Correspondent at BusinessDay Media Limited, publishers of BusinessDay Newspapers. She is also the Deputy Editor, BusinessDay Weekender Magazine, the Saturday Weekend edition of BusinessDay. She holds a BSC in Mass Communication from the prestigious University of Nigeria, Nsukka and a Masters degree in Marketing at the University of Lagos. As the lead writer on the aviation desk, Ifeoma is responsible and in charge of the three weekly aviation and travel pages in BusinessDay and BDSunday. She also overseas and edits all pages of BusinessDay Saturday Weekender. She has written various investigative, features and news stories in aviation and business related issues and has been severally nominated for award in the category of Aviation Writer of the Year by the Nigeria Media Nite-Out awards; one of the Nigeria’s most prestigious media awards ceremonies. Ifeoma is a one-time winner of the prestigious Nigeria Media Merit Award under the 'Aviation Writer of the Year' Category. She is the 2025 Eloy Award winner under the Print Media Journalist category. She has undergone several journalism trainings by various prestigious organisations. Ifeoma is also a fellow of the Female Reporters Leadership Fellowship of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism.