The Senate on Wednesday expressed dissatisfaction on the planned review of the contract for the construction of the second runway for the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, which is estimated at N63.5 billion.
Senator Stella Oduah, a former Minister of Aviation, stated that the second runway contract has been cancelled before emergence of the former President Goodluck Jonathan administration.
Oduah said the media report on N64 billion contract is speculative because the inter-ministerial agency on the contract is yet to submit its report.
The Senate in its resolution called on the Federal Government to as a matter of urgency construct a second runway at the airport.
It also urged the Federal Government to ensure that due process and diligence was followed in the award of contracts for the construction of the second runway at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International airport.
These decisions were sequel to a motion by Senator Dino Melaye (APC-Kogi West), entitled: “The Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja, Second Runway- Contract.”
Presenting the motion before the Senate, Melaye, who expressed dissatisfaction with media report on the contract, noted that the contract for the construction of Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja Second Runway was cancelled by the last administration after allegations of over inflation of contracts was established.
Melaye, who fururther noted that the contract was awarded by the Federal Executive Council at the cost of N64 billion after ratification by the Bureau for Public Procurement, added that there was also the great need for the construction of a second runway since, according to him, “the existing one is not only bad but inadequate”.
According to him, the entire Gombe Airport, with 3.6km runaway, cost N8.2 billion, Jigawa Airport cost a total of N11 billion, Bauchi cost N12 billion, Enugu Airport for reconstruction and expansion was N13 billion and Akwa Ibom Airport was constructed at N18.05 billion.
He therefore, expressed worry that the proposed cost of constructing just a runway at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, Abuja was astronomical, insisting that the amount was four times the cost of constructing a brand new runway in the country.
Senator Melaye expressed further worry that the new Terminal 5 in Heathrow Airport, with four lanes of 4m runway cost less than N22 billion, saying constructing a 3.8km runway one-line for N63.5 billion would be a waste of fund considering Nigeria’s present economic situation.
He said: “The publication that the contract is already undergoing review and to be awarded at N63.5 billion as published by newspapers is another attempt to steal and rape Nigerians of our common patrimony.
“Further convinced by the fact that the entire Gombe airport with 3.6km runway cost N8.2 billion, Jigawa airport cost 12 billion, Enugu airport was constructed and expanded at N13 billion and Akwa Ibom airport at N18.05 billion.
“This astronomical amount is about four times the cost of constructing a brand new airport in Nigeria.
“As a representative of the people, we must advice that due process and strict adherence to Public Procurement Act be observed in the said contract of the Second Abuja Airport Runaway.
“If this is not brought to the attention of the government now, there may be another fraud in the making, given the comparative analysis of cheaper cost across the country.”
In his remarks, the President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, tasked the government to put in motion necessary machinery to construct a better runway at the Abuja International Airport, just as he said every process in awarding the contract was through due process.
Saraki noted that the amount bandied for being the cost for constructing the second runway at the airport was unacceptable and stressed that the Senate would do its best to ensure that there was probity in award of contracts not only in the aviation sector, but other sectors of the economy.
He added that there was the need to stop what he described as reckless expenditures, while awarding contracts in the country, and that it was the responsibility of the Senate to perform the oversight functions in awarding these contracts.
He said: “Agencies and MDAs should know that time is over.
“All contracts must be done prudently and those type of figures will not be accepted.
“I hope once the standing committees are put in place, not only in aviation but any part of our economy, this type of contracts will never surface again.”
Oduah in her response to the motion said: “The contract on N64 billion second runway has been cancelled before the administration of Goodluck Jonathan.
“The inter-ministerial agencies set up is yet to submit report on second runway in Nnamdi Azikwe international airport.”