FG to source $500m to correct new airport defects - Sirika
The federal government is sourcing between $400 million to $500 million to fix the design anomalies in the on-going new international airport terminal buildings at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
The Minister of State, Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika yesterday disclosed this during an inspection tour of the terminal building as a part of his first day at work in 2018.
The new terminal building, being built by CCECC, at the Abuja airport, located after terminal D at Abuja airport is badly located as it violates the Abuja airport master plan, blocks the control tower, obstructs the fire tender, has water/sewage issues, has power issues, has small apron space and doesn’t link to the existing terminals seamlessly. Daily Trust had last year exclusively reported that the FG would need about $500 million to fix the anomalies in all the four international buildings being built under the $500 million loan from the Chinese government.
The challenges he said include “the problem of linking the new terminal building with the old terminal building, we have the problem here in Abuja of blocking the control tower which is safety issue, we have the fire service blocking access to the terminal building making it difficult for aircraft to maneuver the airport and use the apron and even the apron is too small. The absence of power, sewage and water are all part of the challenge” he explained adding that all of these has impacted the completion time of the airport.
The minister noted that the amount needed to fix the challenges is beyond his office hence his resort to the Federal Executive Council.
“From the initial numbers I am getting that we need to complete this procurement is in excess of $400 million. This is beyond me as a minister to take the decision to fund it from government or take a loan from the same source (China EXIM Bank) to add to the previously loan of $500 million” he said.
The contractor, CCECC, represented by the managing Director, Mr. Jack Li said “in general about 83 percent of the project has been achieved. The structure is almost done and we will do the installation. If we get the funding, the entire project should be ready in one year.”