Port Harcourt International Airport Management to Relocate Concessionaires for Facelift
The management of Port Harcourt International Airport has announced plans to relocate concessionaires and other mini-businesses from the operational areas of the domestic wing. Ngozi Onyeanwunna-Nwosu, the airport’s public relations officer, stated that the move is aimed at giving a facelift to the airport environment and enhancing serenity, security, and standards within operational areas.
The decision comes amidst concerns about un-regularised business activities within the operational areas, which have been fast breeding shanties at the facility. However, Onyeanwunna-Nwosu clarified that the relocation is not an alleged displacement of thriving businesses, as speculated by some individuals.
While the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) reserves the right to make policies that enhance its operations, Onyeanwunna-Nwosu emphasized that FAAN prioritizes public interest in all its implementations. She noted that the airport authority duly notified all affected business operators about the planned relocation since November 2023.
Despite these assurances, some of the affected operators have expressed concerns about the relocation. Mark Tammy, a food vendor at the airport, pointed out that the distance from the new site to the domestic waiting area may undermine smooth business activities, as many of his customers may find it difficult to patronize him.
Similarly, Janette Ikem, a computer operator at the airport, raised concerns about the hardships that the relocation would further aggravate for affected individuals, especially considering the present state of the country’s economy. She noted that the relocation would indirectly force them to build new stalls for themselves at the new site.
The airport management has sealed off all shanties around the cargo and other areas within the airport to prevent trespassing. The relocation deadline for affected operators expires in March.
Peoples Gazette
