Work resumes on stalled airport terminals-Buhari
*N753.6 billion released for capital expenditure in Oct2016.
President Muhammadu Buhari has assured that most of the stalled projects in the aviation industry would resume and be completed in record time.
He particularly mentioned four of the terminals under construction at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano, Nnamdi Azikiwe International
Airport, Abuja and the Port-Harcourt Airport.
The President made the disclosure at the presentation of 2017 ‘budget of Recovery and Growth’ before lawmakers.
The President said although capital expenditure suffered as a result of project formulation delays and revenue shortfalls, in the five months since the 2016 Budget was passed, the amount of N753.6 billion has been released for capital expenditure as at the end of October 2016.
The President said although capital expenditure suffered as a result of project formulation delays and revenue shortfalls, in the five months since the 2016 Budget was passed, the amount of N753.6 billion has been released for capital expenditure as at the end of October 2016.
The four terminals constructed by China Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC) at Abuja, Kano, Lagos and Port Harcourt airports can no longer be delivered this year due to some noticeable technical deficiencies.
According to the President, “Consequently, work has resumed on a number of stalled infrastructure projects such as the construction of new terminals at the country’s four major airports; numerous major road projects; key power transmission projects; and the completion of the Kaduna – Abuja railway to mention a few.”
Nigeria and China yesterday in 2013 signed several loans and eight Memoranda of Understanding in Beijing, China, as well as a $500 million loan for construction of the four new international airport terminals in Abuja and three other states.
When completed, the airports would take their rightful place in the world aviation map, and boost Nigeria’s position as the natural hub for commercial aviation business on the African continent.
Just recently, Minister of State for Aviation, Hadi Sirika said that the new terminal at Abuja Airport had blocked the control tower and fire service station
“The terminals were done, kudos to the originators to the best of their thinking. The Abuja terminal that is nearing completion is blocking the control tower and fire service station.
“Because it has been built, we need to knock down the N3 billion control tower and knock down the fire station which will cost about N2 billion. The one in Lagos also has some technical issues; it is sitting on heavy cables,” he said.
He said the four terminals are not constructed on a build operate and transfer basis neither are they based on any concession arrangement.
He said the projects are a $500m loan from China and a $100m counterpart funding by the Nigerian government.
“The biggest of those terminals will be doing 1.5million passengers annually but what we are looking at is different and larger.”
Sirika said if he had such money, he would have used it to develop the Lagos airport and turn it into a hub in West Africa.
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