Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika, has revealed that the Federal Government spent N10bn to rehabilitate Akanu Ibiam International Airport which was reopened on Sunday to flight operations.
He said this during the official opening ceremony in Enugu, noting that domestic flight would start immediately while the international flight would begin on September 5.
Sirika said the project had cost Federal Government N10 billion.
“It is a great pleasure for me to be in Enugu for this August occasion in the mount of August for the reopening of Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu for flight operations.
“The local flight can come to start from today and the international flight on Sept. 5, once the COVID-19 Presidential Task Force has opened the gate to come in.
“We are proud to say that this project is indeed a testimony to Mr President’s commitment to infrastructure development in the country.
“You may recall that the runway of this essential airport, which is vital to economic development of the region and the whole country at large, was in a very dilapidated stage and worse condition.
“This raised serious safety concern. It was on this basis that I approached President Muhammadu Buhari on the urgent need to reconstruct the runway and other associated works,” he said.
Sirika commended the President’s instant approval of N10 billion to undertake the rehabilitation of the runway and some associated works.
He said the project consist of taxiway, linkway, emergency operation centre, car park, entrance of the gate, perimeter fence, perimeter road, terminal building rehabilitation, pilot lounge, instrument landing system that will allow landing during bad weather.
Others, he said, are communication device, new DHF radio and rescue equipment, among others.
The minister said the focus would now be on delivering the Cargo terminal, the international terminal building and many more in the airport soonest.
He said he had approved N1 billion to continue the terminal building expansion being done by the Chinese.
“Some of the challenges encountered include, lack of bitumen, COVID-19 lockdown, and even change of hands of company handling the project, removing of abattoir and radio masks, among others,” he said.
The Chairman Senate Committee on Aviation, Sen. Smart Adeyemi, commended Buhari for carrying out infrastructural developmental projects all over the nation.
He said such move by the president would greatly improve socio-economic status of the country.
Adeyemi said the feat achieved in rehabilitating the runway in Enugu Airport would improve safety in the airport
He urged all stakeholders in the region to further work together with the federal government to achieve more developmental goals.