Minister
of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah
The Federal Government has approved a sum of N106 billion
naira, through the Federal Executive Council (FEC), to commence the
construction of five new, world-class international airports. Minister of
Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah disclosed this in Abuja during a media briefing
to update stakeholders on the development in the aviation sector. According to
her, the Ministry had, on assumption of office, drawn up a roadmap which she
explained had three phases in terms of implementation strategy.
She said the first phase or short term agenda was to
immediately give a face-lift to Nigerian Airports, explaining that this gave
rise to the simultaneous remodelling and construction of 11 airports across the
country. The airports, she stated, include the Murtala Mohammed International
Airport and the General Aviation Terminal (GAT) both in Lagos, the Nnamdi
Azikiwe international airport, Abuja and the Port Harcourt International
Airport, Omagwa.
Others include Akanu lbiam International Airport Enugu,
the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport Kano, Margaret Ekpo International
Airport Calabar, Yakubu Gowon Airport Jos, the Yola, Kaduna and Sam Mbakwe
Airport Owerri. “As at this moment, the projects have reached 80 per cent
completion and would be completed and put to use in the few weeks and months.
The remaining airports will commence shortly”, she said.
The Minister disclosed that at the end of the exercise,
all 22 airports under the management of FAAN would wear a new and modern look. She
further said that the second phase in the implementation strategy of the road
map which falls under the medium term programme would be the construction of
five new international terminals in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Kano and
Enugu. She explained that the FEC approved for the award of contracts for the
immediate take-off of construction work on the terminals.
“Following the approval of FEC, we have concluded
arrangement to commence construction of five brand new world class international
airports. What we have today is not befitting of us as the giant of Africa”,
she emphasised.
Oduah maintained that this development must transcend the
immediate euphoria that comes with the realisation that Nigeria dreams for
standard airport are about to come to fruition. The Minister stressed that the
government’s dream was to strive to transform Nigeria’s aviation sector into a
major contribution to the nation GDP as the airports are pivotal to the
actualisation of the dream.
“The award of contracts for the construction of the five
international airports will be significant first step in this direction. This
is not even talking about the huge psychological lift this will do to our
psyche as a nation, she said.
She disclosed that the contracts for the construction of
the five airports have a life span of 24 months while the projects were to be
executed with a concessionary loan of 22 years with 5 years moratorium at an
interest rate of 2 per cent. “Mobilisation to site by the contraction is expected
to commence within 90 days. Also the third phase of our implementation strategy is the
Aerotroplis project which are airport cities that provide clusters of
businesses ranging from manufacturing, information and communication technology
(ICT)”, she said.
The minster, who told journalists that she would soon
return to China to sign contract for the take off of construction work on the
five new terminals, said the lifting of the suspension on Dana Airline was
based on government’s satisfaction that the airline was airworthy, after
carrying out a technical audit of the operator.
Source: Thisday
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