THE Federal Government has awarded a N3 billion contract to Julius Berger Plc for the asphalt resurfacing of the Port Harcourt Airport runways.
The Federal Government late last year shut the airport to traffic, shortly after a Sosoliso plane crash that claimed the lives of 66 pupils and other Nigerians.
Some of the reasons for the closure, included the deplorable state of its runways, poor lighting, inadequate fire service facilities and lack of adequate security.
Aviation Minister, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode made this known yesterday in Abuja when Horin Dafaronos of Greece paid him a courtesy call in his office. The visit was to seek the minister’s assistance to expedite actions on the signing of some bilateral air service agreements between Nigeria and Greece, which begun two years ago.
According to Fani-Kayode, final approval for the award of the contract for repairs of the airport was given last Wednesday during the Federal Executive Council meeting.
While assuring Nigerians of immediate reopening of the airport as soon as works was completed, Fani-Kayode also thanked the Federal Government, and President Olusegun Obasanjo for making sure that the contract was finally awarded.
The minister also appealed to Julius Berger Plc to expedite work on the airport and provide quality work.
On request made by the ambassador, Fani – Kayode promised to do everything within his power to make sure that all agreements between the two countries were signed without any further delay.
In response, Dafaronos thanked the minister for his words of assurance and expressed the hope that all affected agreements would be signed not later than end of January 2007. Dafaronos said it was in the interest of both countries to have as many bilateral agreements as possible, so as to enable them to work together now and in future.