The Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Aviation, Binta Bello has said that the Nigerian Government will complete and deliver five international airport terminals across the country, concurrently being remodeled and built to meet international standards at a total cost of $500 million (N100 billion).
Binta Bello, who made this disclosure during an interview in Abuja recently, averred that finance was not an impediment to the delivery of all the projects going on simultaneously in the five major states of the country.
She added that the remodeling of the airports located in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Kano and Enugu was conceived by the former Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah at the cost of $500 million, including a counterpart funding of $100 million (N20 billion) from the government on Built, Operate and Transfer (BOT) basis.
“We don’t have any financial impediment that would slow down the work that is in progress. For instance there is no problem of finance with the finance of the five ongoing international terminals. The five international airport remodeling terminals are being financed by the Chinese EXIM bank loan and federal government’s counterpart funding of $100 million which has been paid at the commencement of the projects. I therefore assure Nigerians that the contractors will deliver the project by the first quarter of 2016.
“The timely completion of the five new brand terminals became imperative in the present administration’s change mantra. It would help to boost foreign direct investment and increase the nation’s gross domestic product”, she said.
While assuring on the completion timeline of nine months, the Permanent Secretary inferred that the airport remodeling projects were almost half – way completed.
She also indicated that the job was about 45 percent complete, but the most important thing was that the contractors had all the other materials ready, only awaiting for the shipment from China.
“Most of these things are already done as the superstructure is already on the ground. And once the materials arrive, it will just be fixing of the materials,” she said.
The Permanent Secretary admitted that the envisaged delay at the 22 domestic airports regarding infrastructure upgrade was due to financial constraints.
She posited that hands were on deck to guarantee the collective interest for safety, security and efficiency at the domestic airports; adding that very soon installation of sophisticated security equipment apart from the ones already there would be completed.
According to her, agencies under the ministry had been mandated to assert their regulatory functions to inspire public confidence and stimulate growth in the sector.
She emphasized that steps were also being taken to ensure that all airport operations conform to established laws and regulations in line with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) standards.
Bello expressed confidence that the committee on national carrier would come out with solutions for the establishment of a national flag carrier that Nigerians will be proud of.
She stated that President Muhammadu Buhari had given the ministry a marching order to commence work on the national carrier that should culminate in making up the Nigeria – Africa aviation hub.
She further stated that the establishment of a national carrier was not only justified by economic considerations, but also national interest, national pride and job creation potentials for the country.
The committee, she noted had the mandate to consult widely with stakeholders on establishing a national carrier, including interested national partners on the basis of Public – Private Partnership (PPP).
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