•Says previous template lacked transparency
From Uche Usim, Abuja
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr Festus Keyamo, has shredded the airport concession template he inherited, describing it as opaque.
Consequently, he said he has written to President Bola Tinubu “for a quality concession process for Lagos, Kano, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Enugu airports”.
Keyamo made the disclosure at the National Assembly while defending his Ministry’s 2024 budget.
He said the new proposal has taken into consideration the concerns of the 9th Assembly regarding the non-transparent manner the initial airport concession agenda was conducted, stressing private sector management of the five international airporst was the way to go.
Putting the performance of the 2023 budget at 40 per cent based on the releases so far, and the 2024 budget for the entire Ministry and its agencies at N63 billion, Keyamo listed the second runway for Abuja airport upgrade and rehabilitation of the old terminal of Lagos airport as vital projects that need urgent attention.
He reiterated that his five focal points were; to ensure strict compliance with safety regulations and continuous upward movement of Nigeria’s rating by ICAO; support for the growth and sustenance of local airline businesses whilst holding them to the highest international standards in the aviation industry; improvement of infrastructure in the aviation industry; development of human capacity within the industry and optimizing revenue generation for the Federal Government.
He revealed that an additional N81billion will be needed for the completion of the 2nd runway of the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, Abuja. He expressed the danger associated with having only one runway for a capital city like Abuja.