No New Airport Projects For Now, Says Supervising Minister

By Chuks Okoh
The Supervising Minister for Aviation, Dr Samuel Ortom Monday in Lagos said that the ministry would not embark on new project until the ongoing ones are completed. Ortom disclosed this during a tour/inspection of the ongoing remodelling exercise at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.
He assured that none of the ongoing projects in the sector would be abandoned as most of the projects have been completed. This comes just as Ortom denied collecting N25 million each from three aviation agencies to prosecute his alleged governorship ambition in Benue State.
The minister said as a grassroots politician, if he so indicates interest to run for the governorship, his supporters will fund the project, urging Nigerians to dismiss insinuations that he is putting aviation agencies under pressure for cash requests. The minister said despite the huge debts running into over N174 billion, government will continue with on going airport projects .
Ortom said the new five international airport terminals undergoing construction under the $500 million loan from Chinese Exim Bank and the $100 million Federal Government counterpart funding would be completed in record time. He urged the contractors to expedite action on the construction of the new terminals.
The Supervising Minister noted that some projects that were recently suspended was due to lack of fund, affirming that work has resumed since the Federal Government signed the 2014 budget into law.
“We have to prioritize our work here, we have being operating through Internal Generated Revenue and we will continue to operate with it. We have done a lot.
“During this inspection, we have identified some works we have to tidy up. We intend not to go on any new project until we tidy up these ones,” he said.
Ortom noted that the ministry would further build new cargo terminals to enhanced agricultural export.
According to him, the ministry will take steps to address human capacity and upgrading, saying that the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) will be directed to employ its fire staff retirees.
“We will take due process to temporarily reabsorbed some FAAN Fire Service retirees across the country to occupy some post. In aviation, we take issue of safety and security as priority,” he said.
Earlier, the Managing Director of FAAN, Engr. Saleh Dunoma said that the major challenge the authority borders on the area of inadequate fire fighting personnel.
He noted that the authority has 600 fire staff across the nation, which is less than the 160 approved by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).
He said that new air conditioners would soon be installed at the international terminal for passengers comfort.