FG to rehabilitate Abuja airport runway with N1bn

FG to rehabilitate Abuja airport runway with N1bn

The Federal Government is to rehabilitate
Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport
runway, Abuja, with about one billion naira.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports
that a reliable source from the Federal
Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN),
disclosed this to aviation correspondents
in Lagos on Sunday.
NAN gathered that the runway had been in
bad state due to overuse and had been a
source of concern to Pilots and Air Traffic
Controllers.
The source said the Minister of State,
Aviation, Capt. Hadi Sirika, had set up a
committee to oversee the work.
“Government is making urgent effort to
start the rehabilitation of the runway at the
Abuja airport and government has
provided funds for the work, which could
start anytime from now.
“The committee is expected to schedule
the maintenance dates, which are
expected to run from days to weeks.
“It is expected to also decide whether the
runway would be closed daily or some
hours of the day so that work could start
on the facility”, the source added.
According to the source, Sirika had
designated Kaduna airport as alternative to
Abuja so that flights would be diverted to
Kaduna while work is ongoing at the
nation’s second busiest airport.
The source further disclosed that the
project had been advertised and Gilmore,
Julius Berger and PW had bided for the
project.
The source said:”After the committee’s
final presentation to the Minister, he will be
expected to discuss with the National
Security Adviser to agree on the date work
would start on the runway.
“The Abuja airport will be certified by the
Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority.The process
for certification will end by March 2017.
“The airport has been chosen as the pilot
for the International Civil Aviation
Organisation’s No Country Left Behind
campaign.”
The Acting General Manager, Corporate
Affairs, FAAN, Mrs Henrietta Yakubu, also
confirmed the rehabilitation plan for the
Abuja airport.
She noted that all efforts were being made
to ensure the runway was restored to
international standard.