The joint committee of the National Assembly on Aviation has canvassed for the construction of the second runway for Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, Abuja.
Speaking at an interview with journalists after the tour of the airport, leader of the joint committee, Adamu Aliero who said the committee is working with the Ministry of Aviation on ways to secure funds to ensure the terminal is delivered with all equipment in place, added that there is no going back on the construction of a second runway for Abuja Airport because of the increasing passenger traffic and capacity for the airport.
Aliero said the National Assembly has already made provision for the second runway for Abuja in next year’s budget .
He said all that is left is for the Ministry of Aviation to make arrangement for the procurement and award for the contract.
“The ministry of aviation is already aware of the power and water challenge and I think that they are doing something about it. “We do not need a situation where we have to wait to move to Kaduna again with the horrendous experience before building a second runway.
“This is why the National Assembly has approved the construction of second runway for Abuja and luckily the ministry is working to ensure that the procurement and award of contract is done before the end of this year and if it is awarded there would be enough funding for next year,” Aliero said.
Meanwhile the committee has said the $200 million Abuja Airport Terminal constructed by Chinese Civil Engineering Construction is eighty per cent completed.
The committee which said it was impressed with the level of work so far done by the construction company urged it to ensure that everything required must be fixed before the facility is put to use.
While company has tentatively put February 2018 as possible date of completion, the project manager, Kelvin Lee said this could be realized only when there is upgrade of existing power and water supply.
Lee said without upgrade of the existing power and water supply capacity, the facility would not be functional.
He said it would be of no value to complete a terminal of such magnitude without requisite power and water supply.
The manager urged government to facilitate funding to accelerate the provision of support equipment that would enable the company to deliver the terminal before the end of next year.
Lee said the company was working within its scope to complete the terminal, but will require government to relocate the control tower and fire station which currently pose an obstacle to some sections of the new terminal.
Aliero said: “The ministry of aviation is already aware of the power and water challenge and I think that they are doing something about it.
“And once they bring it to the notice of the legislature we will do the needful and give necessary support because we need this terminal to be put to use immediately after completion.
“There is no point having a terminal without water and electricity to enable it functions properly. The existing power and water supply is not adequate to accommodate the terminal without expansion or upgrade.”
On the completion of the terminal, Aliero said:” The terminal would be completed and commissioned before the end of next year. It is already eighty per cent completed. What is left to be done is just the finishing and the equipment are already on ground. The project manager said the control tower and fire station needs to be relocated. If the fire station and control tower are relocated, maybe we would commission the facility earlier than the end of next year.”
Other sections of Abuja Airport toured by the National Assembly joint committee included the Wing D , section of the terminal, the resurfaced runway, the new Chinese International terminal, the flight decoding laboratory of the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) and proposed headquarters of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority ( NCAA).
