Minister hails on-schedule repair of Abuja airport runway

In a statement signed by his Special Adviser, Mr Segun Adeyemi, Mohammed said that the timely completion showed that the Muhammadu Buhari-led administration could surmount daunting challenges.

He expressed delight that the airport was reopened for flight operations on Tuesday after it was closed for six weeks for the runway repair.

”Indeed, the closure of the Abuja airport and the logistic nightmare it triggered must rank among the most intimidating challenges faced by this administration.

“Its ability to live up to expectation by delivering the project even before the scheduled date has further confirmed that Nigerians elected a responsive, responsibleand capable leaders in 2015.”

Mohammed lauded the handling of all that had to do with the closure of the Abuja airport and temporary relocation to Kaduna airport by the relevant ministries and security agencies.

According to him, the rehabilitation of the Abuja-Kaduna Roadby the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing and the provision of non-invasive but effective security on the highway are commendable.

The minister hailed the Ministry of Transportation for ensuring that the Kaduna airport was able to handle a large number of flights.

He said that these showed that Nigerians had what it would take to make the country a proud member of the comity of nations.

Mohammed said: ”It is to the credit of the security agencies and the Federal Road Safety Corps that passengers travelling on the ever-busy Abuja-Kaduna Highway were largely kept safe while the closure of the Abuja airport lasted.

“There was no known security scare, while accidents on the road were kept at the barest minimum, despite the increased vehicular traffic.

“Who can forget the timely departure and arrival of the Abuja-Kaduna train that ferried thousands of passengers back and forth during the Abuja airport closure?’’

The minister said that the feat should not be trivialised because the runway deteriorated for more than 30 years.

Mohammed said that it was commendable that the runway was fixed in spite of the economic recession.

He noted that the Port Harcourt International Airport was closed for almost two years at a time the country was witnessing a more favourable economic situation.

Mohammed thanked Nigerians for enduring the inconveniences that came with the relocation of Abuja flights to Kaduna.

He also thanked Ethiopian Airlines that operated its scheduled Abuja flights to Kaduna when other international carriers turned their back.

Mohammed commended the Julius Berger Construction Company which delivered the project before schedule.

”The success recorded in the timely reconstruction of the Abuja airport runway can only rank next to the determined effort with which the Federal Government contained the Boko Haram insurgency.

“We assure Nigerians that this administration is employing the same uncommon determination to tackle all the challenges facing the country,” he said.

Mohammed said the challenges included pervasive corruption, insecurity, unemployment and infrastructural decay.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Abuja airport was shut on March 8 for six weeks to enable Julius Berger to rehabilitate the 3.6km runway.

The runway, which was constructed in 1982, was meant to last for 20 years, but had been in use for 35 years without any major repair and proper maintenance.