Hadi Sirika, former minister of
state for aviation, says Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, should be
shut.
Sirika, who is one of the
ministerial nominees, spoke when he appeared before the senate for screening
confirmation on Friday.
Describing the runway of the
airport as an eyesore, he said it is not befitting of a modern airport.
“I visited Enugu airport as
minister thrice including the state government and unofficially twice. It has a
lot of problems,” he said.
“If you ask me, I will close
Enugu airport tomorrow actually today because the runway has failed. They are
maintaining it regularly to ensure safe operations. I am not comfortable
because there are also other problems with the runway.
“It (runway) is short, it needs
to be extended. We recognise the efforts by the federal government by closing
down the market beside the airport. Also people have built within the premises
of the airport on the safety area of the airport and that ought not to be on
the land belonging to Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).
“Whoever is the next minister
will contend with that because this is safety. Enugu Airport will be dear to
the next minister. That is my personal opinion. We are very jealous of that
city and the airport.”
Responding to a question on the
plans he has to revive the national carrier project if reappointed minister of
state for aviation, he said: “Should President Muhammadu Buhari still think
that I go transportation, I will continue with that good job. It is good for
the future and fortune of Nigerians. One aeroplane is equal to 300 direct jobs.
This is a priority that should be taken.”
“By the US estimation we are a
trillion dollar GDP, by official figures of the NBS, we are half a trillion
dollar GDP. All those that are not included like the barber shop, like the
‘akara’ shop and so is considered we might be hitting more than $1.5 trillion
GDP, we are 200 million people that will grow more than 400 million people in
2030.
“We are the centre, eco-distant
to all locations in Africa, we are at the centre of the world we are highly
mobile travelling people and this is why the prices of tickets are so expensive
because we dont have alternative, we cannot match them, whatever they give we
have to take. Its market, it is capitalism, we can run away from it, I think it
is important.
“If it is me or whoever is the
minister, I think that this is a priority we will take, thank God a lot of job
has been done.”
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