Abuja airport closure: Terminal building to be used
The federal government is reconsidering its decision to totally shut down the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja terminal building to operations following the losses and huge logistics needed to temporarily relocate the terminal.
The Minister of State, Aviation, Capt. Hadi Sirika had earlier announced that the entire airport will be shut down while the old parade ground, Area 10, Garki Abuja will be turned into a temporal terminal shelter where Abuja passengers will be screened before they are transported to Kaduna to board their flights to their intending destinations.
Daily Trust gathered exclusively that the terminal building will still be used as stakeholders and security experts have advised the government against processing passengers outside of the airport environment.
Also, the Abuja relocation committee has advised the minister to reconsider his decision and have passengers screened at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja terminals because of the facilities.
“It’s not necessary screening people at a different facility far removed from the airport because of the huge logistics involved. It is only the runway that is being fixed so the terminal building can still be operational” one of the committee members told our correspondent under condition of anonymity.
Our correspondent had earlier raised this same issue with the Minister in an exclusive chat but the minister had said, the contractor, Julius Berger, advised against human movements around the terminal building because of the he equipment that will be deployed.
He also disclosed that the contractor had said it didn’t want obstructions so it can deliver the runway on the tight schedule given it by government.
It is not immediately clear if the contractor has yielded to the demands of the aviation experts and stakeholders that only the runway be shut for six weeks but the terminal buildings should remain operational.
If the terminal building is still in operation, all the screening machines will be used and all the Immigration, Customs and NDLEA points will be useful said the committee member adding that a temporal shelter may not have all the necessary security screening equipments.
Also using the terminal building will mean that every other business around the airport will continue smoothly, perhaps only the ground handlers that will be off work for the six weeks. Also airlines offices, ticketing counters, check-in counters, restaurants and other shops will still run normally.
Facilities like toilets and passenger waiting areas will be handy. Immigration, Customs, NDLEA, NAFDAC and other relevant government agencies will still do all due diligence checks at the Abuja airport after which, the passengers will be moved to Kaduna airport, seamlessly. Using a makeshift checkin and clearance area, the logistics is too huge and the N1.1bn voted for the relocation logistics may not even be enough.
Checks at the Old Parade Ground by our correspondent showed no preparation of the facility for an airport terminal less than a month to the closure of Abuja airport.