Niger state Governor Babangida Aliyu on Thursday expressed concern over the slow pace of renovation works going on at the Minna airport.
The Governor in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary Mr. Israel Ebije in Minna, said the Minna airport is supposed to be the commercial hub for all travellers as it is the practice in developed countries.
According to him, “as an alternate airport to Abuja, it is only right for the place to be operationally ready at all times”.
Spokesman to the governor further stated that the governor made his position known during an Award of Excellence presented to him by the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) where he urged the agency and other relevant authorities to ensure that the airport is made operationally ready and aircraft air-worthy.
The statement reads in part “please tell the relevant authorities about the need to quickly upgrade the Minna airport if it must serve its purpose as alternate to the Abuja airport. We must not wait for emergencies before doing the right thing”.
He urged NAMA and visiting managers of all 30 airports in the country who were on his entourage during the courtesy visit to ensure that the Federal Government oblige its earlier promise to send a simulator to Minna airport since the past 20 years.
Aliyu while asking NAMA and other regulatory bodies in the aviation transport industry advocated that every single aircraft on operational duties must be air-worthy adding that the only way to avert disaster is to report airline operators with faulty aircraft.
According to him “you must be ready to report faulty aircraft to the appropriate regulatory authority for immediate action. You must realize that every decision counts in aviation transport and many lives are at stake.”
“Let me also call on you to look into the issue of arbitrary fees charged for flights, especially those on schedule flights outside the country. It is your duty to ensure that Nigerians are not paying more than they should on international flights. Presently Nigerians pay more on account of numerous routes designed to extort from us by international airline operators.”
The Managing Director and Chief Executive officer of NAMA, Engr. Ibrahim Abdulsalam however promised to communicate to relevant authorities for expedite action.
The Governor in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary Mr. Israel Ebije in Minna, said the Minna airport is supposed to be the commercial hub for all travellers as it is the practice in developed countries.
According to him, “as an alternate airport to Abuja, it is only right for the place to be operationally ready at all times”.
Spokesman to the governor further stated that the governor made his position known during an Award of Excellence presented to him by the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) where he urged the agency and other relevant authorities to ensure that the airport is made operationally ready and aircraft air-worthy.
The statement reads in part “please tell the relevant authorities about the need to quickly upgrade the Minna airport if it must serve its purpose as alternate to the Abuja airport. We must not wait for emergencies before doing the right thing”.
He urged NAMA and visiting managers of all 30 airports in the country who were on his entourage during the courtesy visit to ensure that the Federal Government oblige its earlier promise to send a simulator to Minna airport since the past 20 years.
Aliyu while asking NAMA and other regulatory bodies in the aviation transport industry advocated that every single aircraft on operational duties must be air-worthy adding that the only way to avert disaster is to report airline operators with faulty aircraft.
According to him “you must be ready to report faulty aircraft to the appropriate regulatory authority for immediate action. You must realize that every decision counts in aviation transport and many lives are at stake.”
“Let me also call on you to look into the issue of arbitrary fees charged for flights, especially those on schedule flights outside the country. It is your duty to ensure that Nigerians are not paying more than they should on international flights. Presently Nigerians pay more on account of numerous routes designed to extort from us by international airline operators.”
The Managing Director and Chief Executive officer of NAMA, Engr. Ibrahim Abdulsalam however promised to communicate to relevant authorities for expedite action.