The Federal Government has said that the rehabilitation and expansion of the nation�s 21 airports will be implemented in phases. The Minister of Transportation, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, dropped this hint after inspecting the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano recentlyThe minister, who was conducted round the airport by the Managing Director of FAAN, Mr. Muhammad Yusufu, said the exercise would first begin at the international airports to bring them to international standards and meet the challenges of rising passenger and aircraft traffic in Nigeria�s growing market.
Alison-Madueke had noted that the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), Kano was one of the major hubs in the West African sub region and would be upgraded to attract more passengers and investors.
The Minister said she was satisfied by the professionalism and efficiency displayed by most workers at the airport, particularly those of the fire service and security departments in the discharge of their duties, however, lamented the deteriorating state of the airport�s old and new terminals.
�The tarmac and apron, I could see are still okay, but the other physical structure are not good. Since 2005, what could have been a new terminal is lying fallow.Within the next four months, the new terminal would be made functional.
The old terminal, which has been there since 1958, would be kept and upgraded, bringing value to it and to the passengers. The safe tower and the satellite communication (SATCOM) projects will all be implemented with the available parameters and resources,� she added.
Yusufu said the on-going rehabilitation at Port Hart Harcourt, Owerri, Maiduguri, Lagos airports among others, are aimed at transforming them to international standards and meeting the challenges of safe and secured air travel in Nigeria.Yusufu, in company with some of the management team of the Authority, had earlier on Monday visited the Kaduna State Governor, Alhaji Mohammed Namadi Sambo after inspecting the Kaduna Airport.He said he had already called for a meeting between the contractors for the resurfacing of the airport runway and officials of the Due Process to sort out grey areas on the proposed funding of the project.About N370million was earlier proposed for the project but was later reviewed to N320million by the Due Process office.Yusufu, who denied that the funding of the airport was being made by some airlines, reiterated that �The issue of problem at the airport will soon be a thing of the past. We are putting in place all security and safety measures, with the installation of new screening machines, to ensure that all passengers, cargoes and luggage are safe and secured. I have directed the manager of the airport to ensure that all necessary facilities for the runway, taxiway and lightening system are put in place in the next 30 days.�He assured that between N30million and N40million would be spent on the runway to prepare it temporarily for the Umrah before its major resurfacing. Sambo, who lamented the frequent changes of chief executives of FAAN, which often affect the meaningful development of the Authority�s operations, pledged the support of his administration for the organisation.He said the government would assist FAAN with the provision of water supply to the airport through World Bank-sponsored project.He noted that his government would also in collaboration with FAAN to provide a dedicated power supply to the airport, among others.