The Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, has said the N92 billion second runway at Nnambdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA) would be completed by November 2023.
He said this when he received the National Assembly joint committee (Senate and House of Representatives) on Aviation at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja for oversight function.
He said the Federal Government is ready to speedily finance the project from the mobilisation stage to the final stage.
Sirika , who stated that the contract was supposed to be for a period of 12 months, added that the maintenance would be for another 12 months.
The minister affirmed that the project would be delivered before the end of the current government.
“The work has commenced in harness, and it is our intention to deliver the project as soon as possible. It is practicable. Government is committed to this project and to fund it.
“We are here with the two committees of National Assembly (NASS), the Senate and House Representative with their Chairmen on oversight and particularly on this spot.
“This is where the much awaited Second runway is coming. As you can see the contractor has been mobilised to site, “ he said.
The Chairman Senate Committee on Aviation, Mrs Abiodun Olujimi, commended Sirika for efforts made so far to kick start the project.
She promised that the NASS would keep supporting the project toward completion as scheduled.
“Just as the minister said, we came on an oversight visit to the site of the second runway. It has been pending for a very long time.
“You remember at a particular time, the airport had to be shut down because we had only one runway and it was bad. So, it is the initiative of the minister to ensure that the second runway took effect.
“We are grateful that we are here and we have seen that the contractors are mobilised. They are here and they are working. The minister just said that the funding would be approved constantly, “ she said.
Speaking, Mr Nnolim Nnaji, Chairman House of Representative on Aviation, said the second runway was necessary as Abuja happened to be the Capital of Nigeria.
Nnaji expressed optimism that all relevant stakeholders would synergies and cooperate to ensure quick completion of the project.
“ We have been expecting this construction to take off, for some time now we have been funding a budget to accommodate for the second runway.
“ Abuja being the capital of Nigeria with an aggressive infrastructural development and economic base, we feel it is important to have another runway which is very important .
“This runway, when completed will be the longest runway possibly in west Africa, which is about 4.2 KM. against the existing one that is about 3.7km,“ he said.
