Festus Keyamo, Minister of Aviation is facilitating compensation for victims of the expansion of Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport.
Recall that many were displaced following the Federal Government’s expansion of the international airport in Abuja after they were affected by the planned construction of a second runway for the airport.
The expansion project saw the Federal Government securing about 12000 hectares of land for the aerotropolice project in Abuja hence displacing several indigenes of the Federal Capital Territory who lost their lands to the exercise.
The aerotropolis project includes a second runway for Abuja Airport, Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) facility, an Aviation Leasing Company (ALC), agro-allied cargo terminals, a national carrier, and Africa Aerospace and Aviation University (AAAU), among others.
Mr. Muhammad Bello, the then Minister of F.C.T, handed over the certificate of occupancy for the hectares of land in Abuja to the former Minister of Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika.
ENigeria Newspaper reports that the construction site for the second runway for the Abuja Airport was handed over to a contractor – China Engineering Construction Corporation Nigeria Limited (CCECC).
However, while speaking about the much-anticipated move to facilitate the compensation, Festus Keyamo, the Minister of Aviation in a statement on his verified Twitter handle mentioned that he is collaborating with the Minister of the FCT, and former governor Nyesom Wike on compensation and successful relocation of affected Abuja indigenes.
He also stated that it was necessary for the indigenes to be compensated and relocated before construction works began on the site after the acquisition of the hectares of land by the government.
Keyamo however, insisted that the contractors had been mobilized by the Federal Government to move to the site.
“The Indigenes need to be compensated and relocated before the construction of the second runway at the Abuja airport can commence in earnest. The contractors have been mobilised to move to the site,” he said. Also, he said he met with Tuggar and discussed how to resolve the issue of the resumption of Emirates Airlines flights to Nigeria.
He also said that the two looked into the related issue of the resumption of the issuance of Dubai visas to Nigerians, which was suspended in 2022.
Keyamo assured that the ministry was currently making progress on the issues.
But, Dr. Gabriel Olowo, the immediate past President of Aviation Round Table (ART), wondered how the construction of a second runway for Abuja Airport could be a priority to the Federal Government at this time.
Rather, he wanted the Federal Government to address the challenges of blocked funds by foreign airlines and the appalling condition of the international wing of the Lagos Airport.
He said: “How can a second Abuja runway be a priority in the face of many unresolved issues; growing foreign airlines home remittance, MMA1, which is the number one Nigeria gateway and has remained a national disgrace through years of neglect and shoddy palliatives, rather than focus the root cause?
“Terminal expansion as per the master plan for fingers A,B, C and adequate maintenance of existing fingers D and E are some of the challenges, which needed immediate resolution.”
