The joint aviation committee of the national assembly has decried the state of infrastructure at the Enugu, Port-Harcourt and Lagos international airports namely the runways, terminal buildings, lack of basic facilitation facilities among others.
The committee blamed the contractors and consultant handling the project for failing to do their job even after being fully mobilized to complete the projects.
Chairman, senate committee on aviation, senator Adamu Aliero during an oversight visit to the Murtala Mohammed International airport, Lagos said the contractor handing the new terminal at the Lagos international airport being constructed by the Chinese was incompetent to deliver the project on scheduled.
He frowned at the delay in the completion of work while other members suggested that the consultant be summoned to appear before the committee to explain why the project which was to have been completed in 2016 had been extended to March 2018.
Senator Aliero asked the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN to without delay furnish the joint committee with the master plan of the airport to help them carry out their oversight duties effectively.
Senator Aliero explained in an interview said what they saw at the the Enugu airport was disheartening, runway dotted with port holes, lack of water and the structural defect of the terminal building while the port Harcourt airport, the poor state of the terminal building and the untold hardship passengers are made to go through during departure and arrival at the makeshift tent.
” At the Enugu airport, the runway is not safe, there are pot holes which is not good for aircraft to land, one of the airlines have even withdrawn from operating to that airport, the approach light is not there, which means that aircraft cannot land in the night despite the fact that they have landing lights, there is no 24 hours service for water”
On the Port-Harcourt airport, he said,” the building under construction has been abandoned for over two years, port harcourt deserves a befitting airport, that airport is not befitting”.
His counterpart in the House of Representatives, Mrs. Nkiruka Onyejeocha lamented that contractors handling the various projects at these airports have failed to deliver despite being fully mobilized to complete the job.
She noted that no more excuses would be entertained by the National Assembly adding that no matter the position of those handling the project in the society, they must be brought to book as nobody is greater than Nigeria.
The committee members however expressed satisfaction with the transit hotel currently being furnished at the MMIA as well the baggage collection area and the visa on arrival point at the immigration desk.
