The Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Debts yesterday endorsed the desirability of a second runway for the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, (NAIA) Abuja.
The Committee, led by its Chainman, Sen. Shehu Sani gave the endorsement during the inspection of the second runway site yesterday at the Abuja airport during an oversight function.
The senators noted that a second runway for the Abuja airport was necessary but they needed more specific details on the design and feasibility studies and possibly the cost of the runway to be built to enable them approve enough money that can build the runway.
“We will give you opportunity to update your estimates so we know if the money we are to approve for you will be enough or not” he said.
The committee also tasked the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), the owners of the facility to ensure second runway is coming with modern state-of-the-de-art facilities commensurate with international standards.
Checks by our correspondent showed that the second Abuja runway will be about 4.2km long and it may be a category III runway that has capability for handling flights in lower visibility. Nigeria doesn’t have a category III runway for now.
“As a procedure, we have to be here physically to listen to you and also inspect the proposed site that we are going to have the second runway. Now, the report and the facts that we are going to get from here will help us to analyze and appraise whether you are eligible for us to grant the request to the Federal Government” Sen. Sani said.
He explained that his committee “is statutorily mandated and positioned to scrutinize loan requests and invite beneficiaries to come and explain on why we should approve or not approve the loan request. This international airport is on paper a beneficiary of this proposed loan.”
The Airport Manager, NAIA Abuja, Mr. Mahmud Sani, while responding to some of the concerns raised by the committee, especially on the viability of the runway when built said the runway will be viable and make the Abuja airport more commercially competitive.
He said, with an average of about N200 million monthly income from the Abuja airport, a second runway will also enhance the earning of the facility.
He also explained that, with a second runway, there will be several other commercial offerings at the airport from non aeronautical activities.
He also noted that if Abuja had a second runway, the recent closure of the airport for the runway repairs wouldn’t have happened adding that Abuja airport is the only international airport in Nigeria without an alternate runway, a situation that is dangerous for safety.
