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Easter deadline for Enugu airport completion not feasible
- COVID-19 forced contractor out of site
The plan by the Federal Government to complete the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu before Easter is no longer feasible owing to the Coronavirus pandemic that led to shutdown of many firms and total lockdown of key states in Nigeria.
Spokeswoman for the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mrs. Henrietta Yakubu said the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika in the company of the Managing Director of FAAN, Capt Rabiu Yadudu visited the Akanu Ibiam International Airport Enugu, yesterday where she said, “Minister regrets FG’s inability to deliver the airport on schedule due to the covid-19 pandemic”.
Woleshadarenews learnt that the contractor handling the job, PW left the site with their families following the outbreak of the disease in the country.
The projected which had reached 85 per cent completion stage was expected to be completed and opened to flight operations before this year’s Easter.
The runway has been expanded to international standard both at length and width.
Sirika gave this assurance on Wednesday while he was inspecting the rehabilitation of the airport’s runway.
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria had announced the closure of the airport, which is the only international airport in the South-east region, in order to reconstruct its runway.
December 2019 was earlier set as deadline for the completion of the repairs.
President Muhammadu Buhari had approved N10 billion special intervention fund about eight weeks after the airport was closed.
“The runway when completed will have other equipment such as the instrument landing system, airfield lighting, taxiway lighting and every single equipment and system that will enhance safe flight operations,” Mr Sirika said.
He said that the state government remains committed to the timely completion of the project.
The Managing Director of FAAN, Yadudu said the work would have been completed in a few week’s time but the workers left to be with their families in view of the social distancing protocol.
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