The Federal Government is working round the clock to make the country’s airports one of the best in the world.
President Muhammadu Buhari gave the assurance last week in Abuja, during the official commissioning of the new Terminal at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport.
In his keynote address at the occasion, President Buhari described the event as a “significant milestone,” saying the commissioning would be of immense value to both local and international air travellers.
This was as Buhari further disclosed of Federal Government’s plan to make Nigeria a regional transportation hub.
According to President Buhari, “This administration recognises aviation as a catalyst for economic growth and as such will continue to encourage and support the actualisation of projects that will place Nigerian Airports among the best in the world.
“I wish to assure you therefore, that government remains committed to developing Nigeria into Regional air transportation hub and thereby assuming its leadership in the aviation sub sector in Africa.
“This event today, reflects government’s deliberate policy to sustain the development of Nigeria’s infrastructure. We are gradually closing the infrastructural deficit bedevilling our country.
“I am happy to note the progress being made in both the airports and sea ports on the implementation of the Executive Order on the Ease of Doing Business. Government officials manning these gateways are to sustain the momentum and ensure travellers in and out of the country have the best of experience as a necessary complement to the ultra-modern terminal.”
The President placed on record the fact that the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport was the first to be linked to the rail transport network, saying it presented a veritable platform for arriving passengers to connect their destination through rail.
“Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Terminal is the first airport terminal to be connected to rail transport system in the country and indeed in the region. This has provided passengers and other airport users with a choice in the mode of transport to and from the city centre. I recall taking a ride from the City Metro station to the Airport on the day the rail line was commissioned,” the President said.
He recalled that on October 25, 2018, “I commissioned Port Harcourt International Airport Terminal”, noting that during the event, “the Honourable Minister of State (Aviation) stated that the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Terminal, Abuja would be completed and ready for commissioning before the end of the year.”
He, therefore, commended the minister, Hadi Sirika, making his word his bond.
Buhari noted: “With the commissioning of this Terminal, Nigeria is moving towards achieving and meeting global aviation standards in facilitation, passenger processing and service delivery in tandem with international best practices.”
This was as he further stated thus: “This administration recognises aviation as a catalyst for economic growth and as such will continue to encourage and support the actualisation of projects that will place Nigerian Airports amongst the best in the world.
“This event today, reflects government’s deliberate policy to sustain the development of Nigeria’s infrastructure. We are gradually closing the infrastructural deficit bedevilling our country.
“I am happy to note the progress being made in both the airports and sea ports on the implementation of the Executive Order on the Ease of Doing Business. Government officials manning these gateways are to sustain the momentum and ensure travellers in and out of the country have the best of experience as a necessary complement to the ultra-modern terminal.”
In his welcome speech at the occasion, Sirika underscored the political and economic importance of the airport, even as he reiterated the fact that it was the second busiest in the country.
The minister disclosed that the multi-million dollar project was the second in the series I’d airport terminals funded from the $500 million China-Exim bank, as well as the $100 million counterpart funding by the Debt Management Office (DMO).
“This is the second in the series of Airport terminals to be commissioned from the projects funded by the China-Exim bank loan of $500m with a counterpart funding of $100m from the debt management office.
“From political and economic perspectives, this airport is very strategic to Nigeria not only because it is the gateway to the nations capital but also because it the second busiest airport in the country and the fastest growing in passenger traffic in West and Central Africa, with an average growth rate of 8%, where the world average growth is 5.8%.
“The Airport processed 5,709,012 passengers in 2017. This volume equals to about 13 times the total number of passengers recorded by Ghana as a country,” the minister said.
