Abuja Airport repairs, 40% completed

The Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and Julius Berger, the contractor handling the repair of Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja runway, have said that the work is 40 per cent completed.

The duo gave made this known in Abuja on Monday when members of the House of Representatives Committee on Aviation led by its Chairman, Mrs Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, inspected the project.

Mr Yemi Ayelesan, Resident Engineer, FAAN, told the committee that the hardest part of the work, which is mailing of the 3.6 kilometres runway, had been completed.

He explained that the laying of ‘’fibre glide rubber’’ which prevents water from going deep underground and also prevent runway from cracking has also been completed.

Ayelesan told the committee that the contractors are working to specifications and would deliver on schedule, expressing confidence that the six weeks period for reopening of the airport was feasible.

According to him, the contractors are working round the clock to ensure that they meet the deadline.

Ayelesan said the repair work was a total reconstruction and not partial rehabilitation, explaining that the entire runway had been excavated for laying of asphalt.

He said there were isolated areas that were so bad that required digging deeper beyond mailing and laying of asphalt, stating that the entire surface were mailed to a certain depth.

According to him, there is nothing like partial rehabilitation, even the taxi way is being repaired.

“Laying asphalt does not take time; it is the easiest part of the work.

“The lighting system is the next step, and the cable can be fixed within two days, as things are now, we will start fixing the light cable on March 29,’’ he said.

Dr Lai’s Richter, Project Manager, Julius Berger, said the work was being done in line with the programme of work.

Richter said the fixing of the lighting cable would commence on Wednesday, restating that the runway repairs would be completed before April 19 deadlines.

The Chairman of the House Committee, Onyejeocha, said their visit was to seek explanation on the level of work so far in line with the project agreement.

She also raised concern as to whether the repair work was a total reconstruction or partial repair, urging the contractor to ensure the completion of the project as scheduled.

“We want them to know that Nigerians are concerned and that there should be no extension of the completion date based on the agreement that we have put in place, ’’she said.

The contractors have recorded progress within 19 days since the commencement of work.

The runway was shut on March 8 for six weeks for its total repair and Abuja flights diverted to Kaduna pending the completion of the repair work.

-NAN

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Abuja airport: Closure won’t exceed 6 weeks – Amaechi

Minister of Transport, Chibuike Amaechi, says the closure of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport for repair will not exceed the planned six weeks. He said the Federal Government will ensure the total rehabilitation of the Abuja Airport runway for smooth operations.

Amaechi, a former governor of Rivers State, acknowledged the hardship closure of the Airport would cause travelers, but maintained that his Ministry will ensure the reopening after due rehabilitation is concluded in six weeks.

Amaechi gave the assurance when he appeared alongside his colleague at a town hall meeting organised by the Ministry of Information in Ilorin, Kwara State yesterday.

He said, ”We are saying that the Abuja Airport runway was built to last for twenty years but we have been using it for thirty four years. It has become extremely dangerous to continue using it, the way it is right now. We need to close it to rebuild it and reconstruct it. The foundation is almost gone and what we are asking for is patience. If we don’t close it we will be exposing lives.

“One of the constitutional responsibilities of the President is to protect lives and property. So you can’t deny us that responsibility. We believe that if we close it by March, in six weeks time we shall be able to reopen it. We know it is challenging for our economy. We think that we will keep to that six weeks,” he said.

“We met abandoned Maritime. Our target this year is that by first quarter of next year we shall be commissioning Baro River Port. We are in the process of awarding the contract for the last equipment that they will use at the River Port.

“NIWA is there working hard. I understand the sentiments of Baro. The only reason why we have not gotten the contractor at Lokoja part is that we don’t trust the contractor and I have directed NIWA to go and look for the process of terminating that contract and get a new contractor to complete the project and that mandate, we have from Mr. President.

”The other mandate that will interest you is the Central Railway Line,the Itakpe/ Ajaokuta Railway Line. If you go back there now the contractors are back to site. We have sent them back to site. That is a 32 years project. Under this government we have decided and agreed with the contractors that we will complete it first quarter of next year.

”Even Baro will be completed first quarter of next year. The other thing that will interest you is the Narrow Gauge Railway Line that transverses your state(Kwara) to Minna. We are about to start negotiations with General Electric (GE). The Narrow Gauge will start if we successfully conclude our conversation. Before the end of this year, from Lagos to Ajaokuta to Ibadan to Ilorin to Minna and onward to Kano we will revive that railway line.

”We believe that between the first and second quarters we would have completed the negotiations and you will see more activities on the train. Once we conclude it, it will create employment. The other one that will also interest you is the Standard Gauge which everybody is glamouring for. We have awarded the contract for the Lagos to Ibadan Standard Gauge Line. By the time they complete that we will be awarding Ibadan to Ilorin and the prayer you should make is to ask the National Assembly to kindly approve for us the borrowing plan that was sent to them.

“Out of that borrowing plan, 6.1billion dollars is meant for railway. For the Lagos to Ibadan, you have 1.5billion dollars. The loan has been approved by the China Exim Bank, the only thing holding us today is that the NASS is yet to approve the borrowing plan. As citizens from the North Central, please kindly appeal to the NASS to approve the borrowing plan,” he said.

-DP

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How wanted journalist, Salkida, was arrested at Abuja airport

The Department of State Services has arrested Ahmed Salkida, a journalist, who was declared wanted by the Nigerian Army last month. It was learnt that Salkida was arrested at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on Monday afternoon shortly after his flight landed.

The suspect, who is based in Dubai, is one of the three persons declared wanted for their alleged link to Boko Haram. Salkida, a female lawyer, Aisha Waliki; and Ahmed Bolori were declared wanted by the military after Boko Haram released a video showing some of the Chibok girls it abducted on April 14, 2014.

A security operative, who spoke to Punch correspondents on condition of anonymity on Monday, said, “When we declared him wanted, he said he was willing to return to Nigeria but only on the condition that we send him a flight ticket.

“His Nigerian passport had expired but the Federal Government instructed the Nigeria Immigration Service not to issue him a new passport because he could run away after getting the passport. So, he was given an Emergency Travel Certificate, which allows the holder to travel only to his country of citizenship.

“With nowhere to run to, he had no choice but to return. So, immediately he boarded the plane from Dubai, we started waiting for him at the airport.”

It was learnt that the suspect had been taken to the office of the DSS, where he would be debriefed.
It was unclear if he would be transferred to the Nigerian Army’s custody.

The Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Col. Sani Usman, told Punch correspondents that he had not got any information that the Directorate of Military Intelligence had arrested Salkida.

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