The Federal Government of Nigeria had said that the second runway of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, will be ready before the end of the current administration in 2019 as preliminary consultation were on going for the construction. This is coming as operators in the aviation sector, as well as other stakeholders, have called on the government to construct a second runway at the NAIA, especially after the airport was closed for several weeks earlier this year.
This is coming as operators in the aviation sector, as well as other stakeholders, have called on the government to construct a second runway at the NAIA, especially after the airport was closed for several weeks earlier this year.
On March 8, 2017, Abuja airport was shut down for six weeks to repair its 3.6-kilometre runway and consequently diverted flights from the NAIA to the Kaduna International Airport.
According to the Minister Of State For Aviation Senator Hadi Sirika while addressing members of the Joint Aviation Trade Unions and Professional Associations Forum that visited him in his office in Abuja on Monday that there was no reason why Nigeria could not fix its aviation sector, particularly now that the industry was headed by seasoned aviators.
The funds needed for the construction of the facility was budgeted in the 2017 Appropriation Bill and that the 2018 budget would also make provision for the runway. The Federal Government had also put in place a policy to regulate the engagement of expatriates in the sector, with this Policy, expatriates would only be engaged in areas where there were no Licenced Nigerian Professionals. Also, the establishment of a national carrier was on course, adding that as soon as the necessary approvals were obtained, the deal would be done.
The Chairman, Joint Aviation Trade Unions and Professional Associations Forum, Safiyanu Mohammed, said the visit was aimed at working with the government to see how best to fix and move the sector forward.
The unions also wanted to know the vision of the minister on how the government planned to improve airports in Nigeria and to present the group’s observations concerning concession agreements in the sector.
