‘Abuja airport’s runway rehabilitation may exceed six weeks’

 Experts in the aviation industry on Sunday said the rehabilitation of the runway and taxi ways of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja might exceed the six-week period scheduled for the exercise judging by the statement of the contractor assigned to handle the project.

According to the Aviation Round Table, a body of industry professionals, the Federal Government must compel the contractor, Julius Berger Plc, to issue a performance guarantee that it will deliver the project on schedule to avoid prolonging the hardship it will bring.

It also noted that about 1.2 kilometres of the NAIA runway had not been available for flight operations due to the poor state of the facility.

In their appraisal of the safety, security and economic implications of the Abuja airport closure, the experts stated that the condition given by Julius Berger was highly uncomfortable.

The ART said, “Judging from the proviso given by the managing director of Julius Berger to the Senate that the project will be completed on schedule ‘all things being equal,’ the ART is highly uncomfortable with such a conditional statement and seriously doubts that the project will be completed on schedule to once again allow for flight operations within the stated timeframe.

“Our submission is that it is of outmost importance and highly desirable for Julius Berger to be compelled to issue a performance guarantee rather than hide under a blanket condition.”

The Federal Government is perfecting plans to proceed with the closure of the Abuja airport to flight operations for a period of six weeks from March 8 to April 19, 2017 so as to conduct thorough repairs on its runway and taxi ways.