LAGOS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT RESOLVES AVIATION FUEL

C O N F I D E N T I A L LAGOS 000056 SIPDIS STATE PASS FAA FOR ACONLEY, TRANSPORTATION FOR FAA; DAKAR PLEASE PASS TO FAA REP ED JONES; ROME PLEASE PASS TO TSA REP JOHN HALINSKI E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/17/2016 TAGS: ELAB EAIR EINV PGOV PREL NI SUBJECT: LAGOS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT RESOLVES AVIATION FUEL SHORTAGE REF: LAGOS 45 Classified By: Acting Consul General William Howe for reasons 1.4 (B) and (D). ¶1. (C) Summary. Airline operators and the Federal Aviation Authority (FAAN) confirmed aviation fuel is now available (see reftel) and that tanker drivers are transporting Jet A1 fuel to fill the reservoirs at Lagos Murtala Muhammad International Airport. Trucks that had been impounded by the Presidential Task Force on Airport Sanitation were all released on Monday, January 16. The Petroleum Tanker Drivers Association (PTDA) and FAAN have resolved compensation disputes. End Summary. ¶2. (C) Virgin Nigeria (VN) Head of Corporate Development, Yemi Osindero, told us on January 16 that aviation fuel was available for VN and other airlines after the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) intervened by providing trucks to transport Jet A1 fuel. Landover Company Managing Director Edward Boyo said NNPC also provided compensation to tanker drivers to resolve disputes over impound fees. Vice Chairman of the Petroleum Tanker Drivers Association, Razak Akanbi, said FAAN was allowing 36 diesel-operated trucks to operate in the previous parking space area, and that all impounded trucks were released Monday, January 16. ¶3. (C) NCAA Director General Harold Demuren said that tanker driver unions complained parking space areas for tanker drivers were limited and too small. Demuren agreed, but said the Presidential Task Force had decided to impound and relocate the trucks, a decision he did not support. He argued, the Task Force should have found an alternative parking space area for the tanker drivers and negotiated with the tanker driver unions before impounding the trucks. Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) Director General and member of the Presidential Task Force on Aviation, Roland Iyayi, said the Task Force underestimated the response by the tanker drivers, but made its decision based on safety and fire hazard concerns. One hundred trucks crowded into one parking area created liabilities, he said. ¶4. (C) Comment. Aviation authorities within Nigeria have mixed views on the Presidential Task Force's decision to impound tanker trucks. Those on the Task Force support the decision. Others complain the Task Force is needlessly "flexing" its muscles. The unilateral decision to impound trucks comes after a horrible season for aviation with many Nigerians missing this year's Hajj due to shortage of flights and a Presidential directive to have VN divert its planes to airlift pilgrims, causing numerous delays, disruptions, and cancellations of flights. End Comment. HOWE