At the heels of the face off between the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government, and stakeholders in the aviation sector, concerning the purported plan to close down the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, Abuja, the Transportation Minister, Rotimi Amaechi, has said that the nation does not want to lose anybody, if the repair is carried out at night.
Amaechi said this on Monday, January 23, at the Second Presidential Business Forum, held at the old Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, and presided over by Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo.
While responding to the concerns raised by the President of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Frank Udenba-Jacobs, on the negative implications of the planned temporary closure of the airport, Amaechi revealed that an aircraft belonging to Lufthansa, had been grounded for the past three days at the Abuja Airport.
He said the aircraft got its landing gear damaged, when it landed on the bad runway of the airport, scheduled to be shut down for six weeks in March for repairs.
Amaechi reiterated the government’s position that the runway built to last for 20 years, had been in existence for 34 years, necessitating the need for the rebuilding.
He explained that the entire architecture of the runway from bottom to top had collapsed, and that it was no longer safe to use it.
The Minister said: “We are not going back on the planned closure of Abuja airport.
“I understand that Lufthansa landed and damaged its gear, and has been here for three days.
“The runway was built to last for 20 years, but it has been in use now for 34 years.
“We cannot do it only at night. We don’t want to lose anybody. We are not repairing, but rebuilding. If anything happens, you will ask us to resign, and we don’t want to resign.”
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