Enugu Airport Closure: House Seeks Buhari’s Intervention
http://www.hrlnews.com/2019/10/enugu-airport-closure-house-seeks.html
The House of Representatives has called on President Muhammadu
Buhari to intervene and ensure the immediate commencement of work at the
Akanu Ibiam Airport, Enugu, six weeks after its closure without
rehabilitation or reconstruction.
At the resumption of plenary on Wednesday, the Deputy Minority
Leader of the House, Hon. Toby Okechukwu, moved a motion which was
jointly sponsored by 13 other lawmakers from the South-east under matter
of public importance on the need to ensure speedy rehabilitation of
the airport.
He said on August 24, 2019, the Federal Airports Authority of
Nigeria (FAAN) closed down the airport to allow rehabilitation works of
the runway, adding that the Minisiter of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, visited
Enugu and after meeting with the governors and stakeholders in
South-east, affirmed that the rehabilitation would be completed by
Christmas.
Okechukwu added: “Alarmed that six weeks after the closure of the
airport, no rehabilitation or reconstruction work has begun at the
airport even as there are no indications that the contractor would
mobilise to site any time soon.”
The lawmaker also expressed concern that the major arterial routes
leading to other alternate airports or leading to the South-east have
dilapidated and burdens the travelling public.
Okechukwu lamented that in spite of the December 2019 deadline fast
approaching, no contractor has been mobilised to the site and no fund
released for the rehabilitation works.
He also expressed worry that the closure of the airport has
exposed the travelling public to avoidable inconveniences and frustrated
their ease of doing business.
The
lawmaker said he was convinced that the funding model of the renovation
of Nnamdi Azikiwe International Abuja would save Enugu airport from
protracted closure, adding that the airport is critical to the safety,
socio-economic lives of many Nigerians and foreign travellers.
Against
this background, Okechukwu called on “Mr. President to intervene and
ensure immediate commencement of work at the airport, and mandate the
House Committee on Aviation to ensure immediate commencement of works.”
He equally called on the Ministry of Works and Housing at the
interim to expedite repairs of the major roads leading to the
alternative routes and airports to alleviate the suffering of the
members of the public.