- Minister Keyamo acknowledged infrastructural decay at airports and is conducting a safety assessment and international audit.
- The Ministry is compiling a list of requirements to upgrade airports to international safety standards.
The House Committee on Aviation has grilled the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, over the shocking neglect of infrastructure at Nigeria’s airports.
Chairman Abdullah Garba led the inquiry, expressing deep concern about the deplorable state of facilities at local and international airports, and urging immediate government intervention to rectify the situation.
The lawmaker also stated that the safety of personnel and stakeholders at the nation’s airports left much to be desired.
He added that the major assignment of the committee is to help in identifying the equipment and other items needed to revitalize the aviation sector.
Speaking, Keyamo said that the level of infrastructural decay at the nation’s airports was a serious issue of concern to the Ministry.
He also pointed out that what the Ministry needed and is currently doing is a safety assessment within the industry as well as an international audit by the International Civil Aviation Authority, ICAO.
He however assured the lawmakers that the Ministry was compiling a list of requirements/equipment for upgrade and safety standards requirements to bring all the nation’s airports to international safety standards.
On the award of contracts by the Ministry, he informed the House committee that most of the contracts awarded are still ongoing projects.
The House committee chairman and other invited stakeholders later resolved into an executive session to address the issues of concern to the lawmakers.