The National Assembly Committee Chairmen on Aviation have inspected the Gombe Airport to ascertain its condition and advice the Nigerian Government accordingly.
The Senate Committee Chairman, Senator Smart Adeyemi, said both committees of the two chambers were in Gombe as part of a wider tour of airports across the country, to consider their budget provisions and advice the executive arm to meet those needs.
“We are going to visit quite a number of other airports. The essence is for members of the Senate and the House of Representatives, to have the true picture of the needs and the challenges of each of the airports in Nigeria, come out with a position as a Chamber and as an Assembly of what the Nigerian Government should do to improve and secure the airports,” Senator Adeyemi stated.
He said he was aware of some of the challenges the state government faced in realising the visions to the Ministry of Aviation for the Gombe Airport.
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Consequently, Senator Adeyemi noted that the Gombe Airport was strategically located and needed the serious attention of Government, saying ”Ours is to call their attention and to make recommendations. And when it comes to budgeting, we look at the budget before us and we try to advise them on what to do on areas that we have seen.
The Senate Committee Chairman on Aviation said a tour of such facilities gives room for easy of the budget and help their decisions, considering the importance of Aviation to the socio-economic development of any society.
He said the essence of the inspections was to ensure how the aviation industry could be made more functional without addition burden to the state governments.
Dialogue
Senator Adeyemi said ”the Senate was already in dialogue with the Ministry of Aviation to sought out the challenges of the Gombe Airport, reduce or erase the burden on the state government and ensure its full potential for the overall benefit of the people.”
In the same vein, the House of Representatives Aviation Committee Chairman, Mr. Nnolim Nnaji, acknowledged the importance of the Gombe Airport as the commercial nerve centre of the North East, hence its importance to the entire country.
Support
Mr. Nnaji pledged that the House Committee on Aviation would continue to give the Gombe Airport the needed support to function effectively, especially in ensuring that the Nigerian Government takes over the affairs of the airport to enhance its productivity.
“There will be need for Cargo Terminal and other facilities around the airport. I also believe that airport is all about safety and security. It is also important that we airfield lightings so that there can be day and night operations,” Mr. Nnaji said.
Highlighting the importance of the Gombe Airport to the North-east and the nation as a whole, the State Governor, MuhammaduYahaya, said the airport was essential in improving the lives of the people.
The Governor cited an example of how beneficial the airport was last year during the Covid-19 pandemic, where the airport had to be used for the transportation of the needed facilities to curb the spread of the disease.
Governor Yahaya, however, laments that the sustenance of the airport by the state government was becoming cumbersome on the government to manage.
“We are financing the airport and its operations ..This is becoming cumbersome, especially in view of the current phase that is originated by Covid and the effect of the economic downturn on the states,” Governor Yahaya said.
He said he believed that the airport would operate better when the Nigerian Government takes over the running of the Gombe Airport, while the state government would be able to develop other sectors and make a difference in the lives of the people.
Goveror Yahaya said the state needed every support possible, because the operations of the Gome Airport had become nationally and internationally relevant, due to its proximity with Neighouring countries of Cameroon, Chad and Niger.
“So, we need every support you will give to us in order to see that this airport is made standard, which we do not have the resources to do. It is made to go with all the facilities that are needed to make it a cargo and international airport, for the good people of this North East sub-region,.
”We are ready and willing to accept any form of support the Committee would give to the Gombe Airport, to improve its services at the airport.
Mercy Chukwudiebere
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