Senator Hadi Sirika, Minister of Aviation, has stated that the N72 billion Second Runway for the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja will be completed in six months.
Sirika disclosed this in Abuja, on Thursday, at the oversight visit by members of the National Assembly overseeing the aviation industry.
According to him, “as you can see contractors have been mobilized to site and work has commenced and it is our intention to deliver the project as soon as possible and the government is committed to delivering this project and funding it.”
On his part, Chairman, House Committee on Aviation, Hon. Nnolim Nnaji, stated that the runway when completed will be the longest in West Africa of 4.2 kilometers against the existing runway of 3.7 kilometers.
Nnaji added that the project would cost 72 billion naira and would be completed in the next six months.
He maintained that the completion of the runway will further expand the industry and attract more investors in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.
“We have been expecting this construction to take off because am aware that for some years now we have been funding budget to accommodate for the second runway which is very important to this country, Abuja being the capital city d Nigeria with an aggressive infrastructural development, we feel that it is important to add another runway”.
The lawmaker representing Ekiti South Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Abiodun Olujimi, on her part noted that the runway has been long overdue and having just one runway has affected the nation overtime.
“This runway has been pending for a very long time, it could be recalled that the airport had to be shut down because we had only one runway and it was bad”.
Olujimi expressed optimism that with the mobilization and adequate funding, the project would be delivered before the expiration of the present administration.
“It was the initiative of the Minister to ensure that the second runway took effect and glad to see that the contractor has been mobilized on site and they are working. The Minister has assured that funding will be delivered before the expiration of this government and we believe that is going to be a great feat.”