The Federal Government said it will spend N72.3billion on the second runway of the Nnamdi Azikwe International airport. The cost, it said, covers the construction of the runway, taxiways, links, fencing with gates, internal perimeter and crash roads, service roads, and drainage.
It was also gathered that with adequate funding, the project would be completed in the next six months.
So far, the contractor has been mobilised to the site and has done five percent of the work.
This was disclosed in Abuja by the Minister of Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika during an oversight visit to the airport by the Joint Committees on Aviation and Committee on the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Speaking at the site of the second runway, the minister said: “This spot is where the much-awaited second runway is coming. The contractor has been mobilized to site and work has commenced in earnest.
“The contract cost is N72,341,479,217.22 and the construction period is 12 months with a maintenance period of one year.
“We intend to deliver the project as soon as possible and as soon as practicable. The government is committed to this project and funding it.”
Also speaking, the Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Aviation, Sen. Abiodun Olujimi expressed satisfaction with the commencement of work at the site.
She said: “We came on an oversight visit to the site of the second runway. It has been pending for a very long time. At a particular time, the airport had to be shut down because we had only one runway and it was bad.
“So, it was the initiative of the minister to ensure that the second runway took effect and we are grateful that we are seeing that the contractors have been mobilised and they are working.
“The minister just approved that funding will be constant and it will be delivered as soon as possible, especially before the termination of this government, and we believe that it will be a feat.”
The Chairman House Committee on Aviation, Hon. Nnolim Nnaji said the runway, when completed, will be the longest in West Africa.
Nnaji said: “We have been expecting this construction to take off because we are aware that we have been funding the budget to accommodate for the second runway which is very important to this country.
“Abuja being the capital of Nigeria with aggressive infrastructural development and economic activities, we feel that it is important to have another runway. This runway when completed will be the longest in West Africa; 4.2 kilometres against the existing runway which is about 3.7 kilometres.
“This one is coming with a control tower, taxiway and other facilities. In the second phase of this project, we also expect that we will have a terminal building around this place.
“We are happy with this project and we congratulate ourselves on the success. We learnt that the project will be completed in less than 12 months because the minister said with aggressive funding, this project will be commissioned before the end of the tenure.
“So we expect that as important as this project, we think in less than six months, this project can be completed and commissioned.”
The Chairman FCT Senate Committee, Senator Smart Adeyemi said the natives and farmers who own lands that the runway would occupy will be compensated.
He said the construction of the runway will affect about five communities and several economic trees.
Adeyemi said: “The National Assembly is delighted that we will have a second runway. It has been on the drawing board for years. My involvement is to look at the scope and know the compensation that will arise from the economic trees that will affect the people in this area.
“The 2022-2023 budget of the FCT is still with us and I am here to see how we can inject some funding to meet the needs of the indigenous people so that there can be peaceful and uninterrupted construction.
“We will make efforts to ensure that the natives and farmers get something because they make their living from the economic trees, so they will be compensated. There are about five communities that are affected by this project but we cannot say the number of economic trees that will be affected but we can assure them that they will be compensated.”
The Project manager of CCECC Nigeria Limited, the contractor handling the project, Yang Yongtau said if the funding issue is resolved, the runway can be constructed and completed in six months.
“The maintenance period is one year but the project is currently five per cent completed.”