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FG assures Nigerians of improved airport facilities
The Federal Government has assured Nigerians of upgrading all Nigerian airport facilities to meet global standard.
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Barr. Festus Keyamo disclosed it when he went on an inspection tour of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja facilities on Tuesday. Noting that at any arrival, at any point in time, what passengers want to see is that the lifts, the escalators, and the carousel are working.
Keyamo said Nigerian government cannot continue to repair or service obsolete facilities at the various airports because it is not a cost effective measure but would rather remove the old ones and replace them with new ones that are up to global standards.
” On a visit to most of our airports, what we noticed is that they are facing thesame problems. I have told them that my mentality to some of these things, for example, most of those lifts that are obsolete, instead of fixing and fixing them every two months, and by the time you fix three times, you are almost buying a new one with the cost of fixing, i told them get rid of it.
“Let us buy high quality needs, the ones I saw here are not good enough. I will not be here and they would go and buy high substandard goods.
“The one that has capacity to take high traffic and we see them all over the world lifts are not what you just buy locally, there are good brands all over the world. I have told them get rid of the lifts, I wouldn’t be spending money every month repairing them, that is not my attitude to it,” he said.
The Minister also urged passengers to be patient to enable the government fix the airport facilities issues in order to enjoy their arrival.
“Let’s be patient and rush through emergency procurement and buy good lifts for Nigerians to enjoy their arrival. Beyond that, we should also have a maintenance culture.
“I told MD FAAN and my PS that if we cannot maintain, these things internally because they are the optics that we keep on seeing, let us get people who can maintain them and we can hold them responsible. We can give people these three critical infrastructure, the lifts, the escalators, the chillers, the airconditions and the carousel for the carrier belts to maintain.
“Nigerians complain so much about the things everyday and we need to just change the antics when people come into our airports. I think I want to change the narrative,’ affirmed Keyamo.
Speaking on the second runway, the Minister said,
the second runway way for a gateway city like Abuja is extremely important and paid that the national assembly, the presidency and agencies involved would give the necessary support to deliver project within 12months.
“I had to meet the FCT Minister and we got approval for clearing the obstacles on the way. The information as of today is that they have started paying the settlers there, the CCECC is giving next week to clear the site and move to site.
“So we are going to invite Mr President to come and commission it, it is a project that Nigerians have been waiting for. It has been a controversial project from obasanjo time till now, but thankfully this government is set to commence that project and it is one of the projects that is a no hanging fruit for us.
“The second runway way for a gateway city like Abuja is extremely important. And I pray that the national assembly, the presidency and agencies would all give us the support to make sure we deliver that project within 12months,” said Keyamo.
ROYAL NEWS reports that the Minister was accompanied by the President Secretary, Emmanuel Meribole, MD FAAN, Kabir Mohammed, among many other government officials.
Contact: info@royalnews.com.ng
