NAIA PROJECT: We Will Deliver in Six Months- Sirika
Oru Leonard
Minister of Aviation in Nigeria, Senator Hadi Sirika has disclosed that the 72 Billion Naira Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja project will be delivered in May 2023.
Sirika disclosed this Thursday in Abuja on at the oversight visit by members of the National Assembly Overseeing the Aviation Industry.
He further explained that the project would be delivered within the next 6 month and would be maintained in the next 1 year if funding is made available.
“As you can see contractors have been mobilized to site and work has commenced and it is our intention to deliver the project as soon as possible and government is committed to delivering this project and funding it,” he stated.
Speaking, Chairman, House Committee on Aviation, Hon. Nnolim Nnaji, said that the runway when completed will be the longest in West Africa of 4.2 kilometers against the existing runway of 3.7 kilometre.
Nnaji who said that the project will cost 72 billion naira, reinstated that the project would be completed in the next 6 month.
He emphasized that the completion of the runway will further expand the industrial and attract more investors in tbe federal capital territory.
“We have been expecting this construction to take off because am aware that for some years now we have been funding budget to accommodate for the second runway which is very important to this country, Abuja being the capital city of Nigeria with am aggressive infrastructural development, we feel that it is important to add another runway”, he said.
The lawmaker representing Ekiti South Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Abiodun Olujimi, on her part noted that the runway has been long overdue and having just one runway has affected the nation overtime.
“This runway has been pending for a very long time, it could be recall that the airport had to be shut down because we had only one runway and it was bad.
“It was the initiative of the Minister to ensure that the second runway took effect and glad to see that the contractor has been mobilized on site and they are working, the Minister has assured that funding will be delivered before the expiration of this government and we believe that is going to be a great feat,” she said.
Olujimi also expressed optimism that with the mobilization and adequate funding, the project would be delivered before the expiration of the present administration.
