The Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, has assured the House of Reps and Senate committees on aviation of the completion of the second Abuja International Airport Runway before the exit of the current administration.
Sirika was speaking during an inspection of the second Runway, New cargo Terminal and Nigeria Air complex office at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja, the nation’s capital.
The Oversight inspection is aimed at assessing the level of success recorded on the projects in the Federal Ministry of Aviation.
The Minister promised that the N92bn worth runway would be ready before the end of 2023.
“We are here with the two committees of the National Assembly, the Senate and the House of representatives for an oversight of the long awaited second Runway of Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, the work had already commenced and would be concluded in due time as soon as practicable.”
“The Government has released appropriate funds to ensure that the project does not stop because of fund, and to continue all the abandoned projects in order to strengthen the aviation industry in Nigeria.”
While conducting members of the committees of the two chambers of the National Assembly round the ongoing projects at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, the Minister disclosed that the contractor for the second runway, Chinese Civil Engineering Construction Company, had been fully mobilised.
The Chairman, Senate committee on Aviation, Senator Biodun Olujimi expressed satisfaction with the level of the projects especially the second runway project of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport.
“We are here to inspect the level of the projects at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport and I am convinced from what I saw going on, I remember when this airport was closed because of maintenance some years back due to the absence of second Run Way, but with the construction of second Run Way now the airport will provide and promote civil aviation business in Nigeria.”
“The National Assembly will do everything possible within the power vested on us to make sure that all these projects are completed before this government leaves office”
While speaking, the Chairman, House of Representatives committee on Aviation, Nnolim Nnaji, said Abuja, the capital city of Nigeria requires massive infrastructural development that will attract investors from around the globe.
“We are glad that this tremendous achievement has come under our tenure, and we are going to consider these projects during the 2022 budget so that all these infrastructural development will be completed as soon as possible.”
CCECC project manager, Yang Yantao, while responding to Nnaji’s demand for assurance that the runway would be on schedule, stressed that, the CCECC would deliver the runway and all the components in six months.
The project is expected to be completed in twelve months and another six months for maintenance, the second Runway has a distance of about 43 kilometres, which is expected to be the longest runway in West Africa when completed.
The project is expected to boost the civil aviation business in Nigeria, boost Nigeria’s economy, promote diplomatic relations among African nations and the globe at large and attract foreign investors to Nigeria.
