HADI Sirika, the Minister of State for Aviation, has said that the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) would be brought down to construct a new one.

Sirika said that the project would be handled by construction giant, Julius Berger at the cost of N14 billion.

The minister explained that the terminal was built in 1979 to handle 300,000 passengers, but the passenger traffic has grown to 8 million in the past three years.

“We have concluded on plans to relocate airlines from their original place to the new terminal we are building. We have are going to rebuild the MMIA terminal and the contract will be awarded to Julius Berger at roughly N14 billion.

“The Managing Director of FAAN just told us that the new terminal under construction will be completed before the end of this year. Airlines will move to the new one, while we begin reconstruction of the old MMIA,” he said.

In the same vein, the Federal Government has concluded plans to shut Enugu International Airport for total repairs of the runways, which is caving in. The Ethiopian Airlines, which operates at the airport would be stopped because of the danger the airport poses to flight operations.

Sirika, who spoke at a stakeholders’ forum in Lagos on Tuesday, said that he had discussed with Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State on the need to relocate the market located very close to the airport and the free trade zone to make room for expansion of the runway and improve other facilities to international standard.

Meanwhile, the Federal Government has said that it was committed to the provision of adequate infrastructural development in the country before the expiration of the present administration.

Babatunde Fashola, the Minister for Power, Works and Housing, said this on Tuesday while inspecting the ongoing construction of federal projects in Anambra State.

Addressing journalists at Awkuzu in Oyi Local Government Area of the state shortly after the inspection, the minister, who was represented on the occasion by Yemi Ogutoynmie, said that so far he was satisfied with the quality and progress of the ongoing construction of the Enugu – Onitsha expressway.

He said the Federal Government attached importance to the road, describing it as one of the major roads in the South-East.

According to him, the construction will continue even with the rain until the 18km were completed. Inspecting the federal secretariat in Awka, the minister commended the contractor for the quality of work done, and encouraged the contractor to keep up the good work. –  New Telegraph

– May 23, 2019 @ 11:25 GMT |