Airport Remodelling: Stakeholder Applauds FG

In spite of the delays in the completion of the remodelling of the nation’s airports, the Federal Government should be lauded for the initiative aimed at transforming the aviation sector.

This assertion was made last Thursday by the Deputy Director, General Services and Projects, Mr George Inyang in the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), in a chat with The Tide correspondent at the Port Harcourt International Airport.

Mr Inyang said the delay in  completing the remodelling of the Port Harcourt International Airport cannot be blamed on the federal government because the projects were being carried out in phases and urged Nigerians to applaud the government under President Goodluck Jonathan for undertaking to improve the status of the nation’s airports.

He advised the critics of the government on the ongoing remodeling of the airports to be patient to enable air passengers appreciate the outcome of the projects.

“I imagine that in the wisdom of the authorities the Port Harcourt International Airport would be completed as planned.  I suffered the same inconvenience being noticed in Port Harcourt when the Lagos, Kano, Benin etc airports were being renovated”, Inyang stated.

The Deputy Director, NIMASA, reiterated that the Port Harcourt Airport would be completed, noting that the authorities are taking time to ensure proper completion of the remodeling work to meet the status of Port Harcourt.

In his reaction, a businessman and user of the nation’s airports Mr Obinna Igbokwe, said the aviation sector in Nigeria needs to do more to gain the confidence of passengers.

Mr Igbokwe lamented the number of aircrashes, the Nigerian aviation has witnessed in the recent past, noting that the scenario exposes the inadequacies in the system and suggested going to the drawing board to fashion out how best to handle the industry.

On the remodeling of the airports Mr Igbokwe, said the work does not meet international standard and urged the ministry to work harder to justify the huge resources expended in the industry.