The runway, which was
designed and built in 1982 and expected to last for 20 years, is yet to witness
any repair about 34 years after it was designed and despite being the second
most used runway in the country.
The runway of the Nnamdi
Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja is to get a face lift following the
approval of funds for its repair by President Muhammadu Buhari.
The Federal Government said
the repair would be handled by local contractors after the conclusion of a bid
process.
Speaking in Abuja after an
inspection of the runway yesterday, Minister of State for Transportation
(Aviation), Hadi Sirika said: “Government has responded and Mr. President has
approved that funds be released for major repairs in the interim before a
complete overhaul and rehabilitation of the runway is carried out.
“We have gone to BPP and
sought their approval to short-circuit the system to address this national
emergency. They have given approval and we have invited local contractors we
can mobilise quickly to the site to carry out the repairs. The contractors that
were invited include but are not limited to Julius Berger, PW, CCECC, Dantata
and Sawoe, CGC, Reynolds and CRGC.
“The contractors came and
were given access to the runway; they carried out research, inspected with a
view to bringing their quotation from which we will select the best that can
give us the best to restore the runway to a good degree that it can be used before
major repairs and overhaul would be carried out”.
The repairs, Mr. Sirika
added, will give more strength to the runway.
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