Enugu Airport Ready Before Easter, Says Aviation Minister
TITUS ALLI, Abuja
Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, has assured that the rehabilitation of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu will be completed before Easter celebration despite the major challenge of getting quarry dust for the project
Sirika, after the weekly cabinet meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday, explained that quarry dust is a stronger material than normal sand used in the construction of runways adding that “the intention is to make the Enugu airport have the most durable runway in the country”
He disclosed that the contractors have now resorted to sourcing for quarry dust from neighboring states where they sometimes get as little as 900 tonnes daily.
He said the contractors need 2,000 tonnes of quarry dust daily for the job and have run out of the commodity in Enugu.
Sirika presented to the FEC meeting a performance report of the activities of his Ministry since the beginning of the second tenure of the Buhari presidency.
The Minister further revealed the launch of a national carrier, Air Nigeria, would go ahead in the third quarter of 2020, but with restricted operations within Nigeria
“I think the main challenge we have in Enugu is the quarry dust. This quarry dust in the design of the Enugu runway, so that we will get a very strong runway better than any other runway in the country.
” We decided to change sand to quarry dust. Now that quarry dust we will be requiring a thousand, five hundred tons every day. If we are going to work day and night, we will be requiring 2,500 tons of quarry dust every day.
“Now we have exhausted all the quarries in and around Enugu, we are getting about sometimes 900 tons. We are going into the neighboring states to be scouting for this quarry dust.
“I am confident that we will continue to get the quarry dust even if it means to pay extra for transportation. And if we are getting that quarry dust we will deliver this project before Easter 2020
“And by God’s grace, we will continue and get this quarry dust, it has been a challenge since we started. “
Now we have exhausted all the quarries in and around Enugu, we are getting about sometimes 900 tons. We are going into the neighboring states to be scouting for this quarry dust.
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