Abuja Airport Repairs: Again Senate Summons Minister, Julius Berger

The Senate has directed Minister of State for Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika, to return on Tuesday to give further details on the planned closure of Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
The order was given by the upper chamber, yesterday, after Sirika’s appearance before the lawmakers on the issue.
President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, who announced the order for the minister to re-appear at the chamber, said that more explanation on the proposed closure, which would last for six weeks, was needed.
The Senate also invited the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, who could not honour the first invitation, to appear before it on Tuesday.
Fashola is expected to give explanation on maintenance of access roads to the Kaduna Airport, which the Ministry of Aviation plans to use as alternative airport for the period the Abuja Airport will be shut down.
Also to appear before the senators same day is Julius Berger Plc, the contractor billed to handle the project.
Giving reason for inviting Sirika a second time, Saraki told newsmen that the minister had while briefing the senators, said the planned closure of the Abuja airport was not conclusive.
According to him, the minister said that the ministry was opened to consider other options.
“He could not give us the exact amount on the cost of the relocation and logistics and promised to come back with the exact figures.
“He could also not hold brief for the Minister of Power, Works and Housing on the repairs that need to be made on some of the roads.
“The senate therefore resolved to invite the minister back on Tuesday along with Fashola, Nigeria Society of Engineers (NSE), Julius Berger and other stakeholders,’’ he said.
The Senate had on Tuesday summoned the Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, to appear within two days over the planned shutdown of the Abuja airport.
This followed a motion by Chairman, Senate Committee on Customs, Excise and Tariff, Hope Uzodinma, and co-sponsored by five other senators.
The senate also summoned Fashola, Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar and Sirika, on the issue.
Others invited were Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Managing Director, Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and Managing Director, Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA).
Earlier at a hearing yesterday, the Minister of State for Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, had reiterated the stand of the ministry to shut down operations at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja for a period of six weeks, owing to the planned rehabilitation of the major runway of the airport.
Addressing the Nigerian Senate, yesterday, the minister said the decision to shut down the airport was a good decision and for the “general interest of the public and all Nigerians.”
According to Sirika, there was no better time to undertake the repairs on the runway than now, adding that, “if we miss the opportunity now, we may have to wait for the next dry season.”
He stressed that the runway was constructed over 30 years ago and no major rehabilitation had been carried out since then.
“The runway has been in deplorable state for two and a half years now and as we speak, an aircraft carrying over 300 passengers almost crashed on the 8th of January 2017, and it is still grounded in Nigeria till now “, he said.
The aviation minister also explained that, though the repairs on the runway would last for six months, the shutting down of airline operations would only last for 6 weeks.
When asked on the level of preparedness at the Kaduna Airport which is being suggested as alternative airport for the period of six weeks, the minister said the Aviation ministry had sought the collaborations of the Ministry of Agriculture, the DSS, Police, Immigration, NDLEA, NAFDAC, Imams and Pastors, to make operations in Kaduna Airport smooth.
Though the minister said the total cost of repairs at the Abuja runway would amount to N5.4billion, he however, was unable to give the estimated cost for the operations of the Kaduna Airport for the period of 6 weeks, when asked by the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki.