The Federal Government says it is making plans to squeeze in budget for the construction of the second Abuja runway in the 2017 budget, already at the National Assembly.
The minister of state aviation, Hadi Sirika said the government hopes to conclude the runway construction within 24 months if funds are made available from the budget.
Sirika spoke when he, alongside the minister of information and culture, Lai Mohammed took press men on a tour of the Kaduna airport on Tuesday.
“There is plan by government to squeeze the 2017 budget to have a second runway in Abuja.
“So there would be a 2nd runway in Abuja hopefully within the next 24months and then there is a 2nd runway in Kano, Lagos, Port Harcourt. The focus of government now is to build the second runway in Abuja,” Sirika explaned.
The sudden reconsideration for a second Abuja runway followed present shutdown of Abuja airport for repairs and inconveniences to air passengers who now travel to Kaduna to fly. There were earlier calls from different sectors for a partial closure rather than total closure of the Abuja airport because it was believed that total closure of the Abuja runway could result to a collapse of commercial activities within the airport and its environs.
Sirika further explained that “On the life span of the runway that is been repaired, the commitment we got from the contractor is that the runway will stay in excess of 10 year.”
Lai Mohammed on his part said the government is doing everything to alleviate the inconveniences experienced by passengers during this period.
“No doubt the closure would have brought about some harsh and some inconvenience but as a government, we have tried to minimise this hardship, put a plan to the best of her ability, arrangement that would ensure security and guarantee safer operations.
Victor Adamu, Operations Manager, Idu Train Station pointed out that the business class coaches are being over worked because most passengers prefer it to the economic class which is been provided by the government.
“We have challenges because the train has only four coaches, one is executive class which takes 53 passengers and three coaches for economic class and most of the passengers connecting their flights prefer to go by business class. As such, there is so much pressure on the business class which is one of the challenges.
“Passengers who wish to use the business class will have to pay N1, 500 for their tickets because it is the economic class that was provided for them for free. We have two economy class coaches that have been reserved for passengers connecting their flights from Kaduna and from Kaduna end back to Abuja.
Noah Ezeonu, a passenger at the Kaduna airport appealed to the government not to exceed the 6 weeks scheduled for the Abuja airport repairs, stating that it has not been easy for him travelling by to Abuja.
“Honestly I appeal to the federal government to intensify efforts at the Abuja airport so as not to excess the six weeks dateline they gave themselves. It’s not been easy travelling by road to Kaduna before flying. The roads are somehow bumpy travelling with the train is convenient and safer I must say,” he told BusinessDAY.
