The Federal Executive Council of Nigeria has approved the purchase of security and safety operations equipment for Maiduguri International Airport in Borno State, North-East Nigeria.
This was revealed to State House Correspondents on Wednesday by the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, along with specifics of what happened at President Muhammadu Buhari’s aviation council meeting.
“From civil aviation, we presented three memoranda, and all were approved,” said the Aviation Minister. We received approval for a contract amendment and additional expenses for the procurement of security and safety operations equipment for the Maiduguri International Airport.
“The President approved an expenditure of slightly more than N20 billion, and it is that procurement that we sought to vary because of time and also the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) exchange rate that has been moved upward by the CBN from N306 to N416 to a dollar, and the contracts were foreign component denominated, so that called for the contract variation,” he added. The variant is equal to N2, 636, 340, and 471.”
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FAAN On ‘Nigeria Air’
Giving updates on the flotation of a national carrier, Nigeria Air, he stated that he still stands by his word that the carrier will take off before the end of President Buhari’s term on May 29, and he assured that the next administration would continue to support it.
Sirika explained that “…three weeks is a lot of time. Yeah. By the special grace of God it will fly. And don’t forget we didn’t start today. We started this in 2015. We drew up the roadmap; we got the transaction advisors in 2016.
“From 2016 we’ve been planning and planning and planning. Many airlines came more than 50% of the airlines today in Nigeria were licensed by us by Buhari’s administration. We are committed and luckily it is APC that will be in power again. We are committed to this project. This project is good for the Nigerian economy and for the travelling people.
“So this airline will be set up and the airline will be established now. And the incumbent government has no choice but to run with it. And the reason is 95% is not government-owned 95% is owned by entrepreneurs. So the coming of the next government which is APC, won’t throw the investment away because it’s not their government so it will continue,” Sirika emphasised.
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FAAN’s Reacts To Senate’s Demolition Directive
Sirika stated that the Nigerian Senate’s directive to halt the planned demolition of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) headquarters at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos was only advisory.
“To put things in perspective, the government intends to demolish the structure holding the FAAN managing director’s office as well as those commercial buildings. It is a wooden structure that has been there for forty years. It has already lit on fire twice during our administration.
“To pave the way for greater development for what Lagos has become, the gateway, we plan to construct hotels, retail centres, offices, and movie theatres, so FAAN can earn more money and the like.
“There are roughly 150 to 200 people in the entire building.” The Senate is advisory, it is an executive function, we are not obligated by any court of law, and the government cannot be prevented from providing its people with development.
“Therefore, I believe there is no issue; they are simply overheating it, and you know why. But we have a responsibility and a mandate, and we are not timid; rather, we are very courageous when it comes to doing what is best for our people. We are also a very responsive and responsible government; if it affects the welfare of the people, we will act accordingly,” he said.
Recall that the Senate Committee on Aviation, chaired by Senator Biodun Olujimi, had brought the upper legislative chamber’s attention to the threatened warning strike by the Union of Air Transport Employees, Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals, and National Association of Aircrafts Pilots and Engineers in response to the planned demolition of the offices.
