Abuja Airport Runway Repairs To Gulp N5.8bnFG

The Minister of State for Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika, has said the proposed repair of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, runway will cost N5.8 billion.Disclosing this while answering questions from senators at plenary yesterday, the minister said the runway had become necessary in view of the fact that it was as critical as the economy of the country, adding that the runway was constructed over 30 years ago with no major repairs.The minister gave a guarantee of 10 years, saying that the runway would serve the country for a long time after the repair. According to him, the runway which is proposed to be shut down from March will be reopened after six weeks for better service delivery.He said that while the runway would be shutdown for six weeks, repairs would last for six months. He assured that unlike the Port Harcourt Airport which was shutdown for two and half years because the runway got bad, the repair of the Abuja runway would take only six weeks.He said: Closure of runway is not new. It is done all over the world. The action is in the best interest of Nigeria. The runway is in dilapidated situation and poses security and safety threat to Nigerians. We will complete the maintenance work in six weeks, we will work day and night.The minister reassured that the consultation on closure of the airport was however not conclusive and the ministry was opened to other options.Meanwhile, the minister has also disclosed that the federal government is strongly committed to providing an enabling environment for investors to thrive in the aviation sector with rules and regulations to make the industry economically attractive.The minister who disclosed this when he received a delegation from the International Enterprise Singapore led by its Director, Middle East and Africa Group, Ian Lee yesterday, said the quest to concession the maintenance of airport infrastructure and the building of new ones across the country is to maintain high standard and efficiency in the running of airport operations in tandem with global standards.He added that the government has also made concerted efforts on the improvement of security in the country with the virtual defeat of the Boko Haram insurgents that had terrorized the nation in the immediate past, and also confirmed that the procurement processes for the Concession and the National Carrier had reached advanced stages as government would soon appoint Transaction Advisers.
Click here to read full news..