The Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Nigeria’s capital city Abuja, is shutdown to enable repairs of potholes which the government has described as a “hazard”
The announcement was originally made by FAAN Wednesday in a statement issued by its spokesman, Yakubu Dati. Hope Uzodinma, Chairman, Senate Committee on Aviation said Friday the runaway would be closed between midnight on Saturday, July 5 and Monday, July 7 to allow the contractor, Julius Berger, repair the pot holes.
“This is being done for obvious safety reasons. We have some potholes that are already seen as serious hazards,’’ Uzodinma said.
According to the senator, it is the only runway used by the president, all the VIPs and investors that come into the country. Uzodinma was speaking with journalists following a meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan at the Presidential Villa.
He noted that this maintenance action followed a technical audit by the Federal Aviation Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) in keeping with international regulations.
“So, it is just for pure maintenance programme based on safety reasons and it is welcome by all of us.’’ On alternative landing places, Uzodinma said the Kaduna and Minna airports were the closest, adding that travellers would choose either of them based on their convenience.
“All over the world they know that we have one runway in Abuja. The next thing anybody can do is to look for the nearest airport close to Abuja. And whatever may be the case between midnight Saturday and Monday, is not something anybody can cry about.
“All over the world, airports and runways are usually closed whenever there are obvious maintenance programmes that bother on safety. So, our own should not be an exception.’’ Uzodinma, who also spoke on the proposed national carrier for the country, said that government could no longer run businesses meant for the private sector.
“So, for us to have a national carrier, it is an airline that government must own 100 per cent and I doubt whether the government has the managerial and technical capability to begin to float an airline in an economy that is being privatized.
“Rather, it can copy from the United States, France, Britain where they have national flag carrier. “In this situation, what happens is that private people will own the airline and government will continue to support and then they will carry our flag. “It is important to see airline that is carrying our flag,’’ he said.
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