Row over planned closure of Abuja Airport

• Experts warn against ‘continuous’ use of runway

Should the Abuja Airport runway be shut down for repairs?

This is the question that has sparked a huge row in the sector.

Some experts and industry watchers are quarrelling over the government’s plan to shut the Abuja Airport for six weeks for the repair of its runway.

The airport, according to the Minister of State for Aviation, Hadi Sirika, will be shut from March 8 to 27 and on April 19.

The runway, which was designed in 1982, is expected to last for 20 years. But it has overshot its lifespan by 14 years, a development Sirika described as risky.

Experts have warned that the “continuous”use of the runway may lead to catastrophe.

At a meeting with stakeholders in Abuja, Sirika said: “I know that it is unimaginable that we will want to close Abuja airport to traffic for such a long time. But we have to, because the situation has reduced the riding quality and safety in operation. The continued deterioration of the facility will eventually make operation unsafe.

“This action will affect travellers, airport users, airline operators, travel agents, hoteliers, car hire services and others. Unfortunately for us, it is the entire structure of the runway that has failed.

“The structures of the runway through the bottom–all the four levels–are gone; completely dilapidated. They open up without giving notice. If we fail to close the runway now, it will eventually shut down itself. We want to take advantage of the dry season to fix it.”

He said the government decided to use Kaduna airport after considering operational and safety parameters as well as input from stakeholders.

But, opinions remain divided over the choice of Kaduna Airport. Some experts canvassed Minna Airport, which, they argue, is closer to Abuja.

Sirika said upgrade of facilities was ongoing at Kaduna Airport to serve as alternative, adding that arrangements have been concluded to provide bus shuttle services between Kaduna and Abuja.

Domestic and foreign carriers have expressed worry over the use of Kaduna Airport as  an alternative.

Speaking at a stakeholders forum in Abuja, Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) Chairman Captain Nogie Meggison canvassed partial closure of the runway to allow for some flights.

Meggison said Nigeria could adopt the model used in Britain where repairs on the runway at London Heathrow Airport are done at nights.

According to Captain Nogie Meggison of AON, operators were in support of the government on the rehabilitation of the airport, but they have their reservations.

He said: “AON is of the view that the runway should be repaired at night from 6pm to 6am as it was done in other airports, such as Gatwick.”

He suggested that since the runway is about 3900 metres, it should be divided into two instead of the proposed total closure.

A representative of the International Airline Operators (IAO) Mr. Osho Joseph said: “We are supposed to learn from past experiences. We ought not to have waited till 34 years before attempting to fix what was meant to last for only 20 years.

“We believe that Kaduna might be for local operators and not international flight. What arrangements have been made with fuel marketers in terms of assistance? Why not start in February instead of March since we are taking advantage of the dry season?”

Maria Careayo from the British High Commission, who spoke on behalf of embassies, sought to know the number of international airlines that fly from Kaduna.

The Senate last week invited  Sirika, Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi, Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, his Federal Capital Territory (FCT) counterpart, Bello Mohammed, Chief of Air Staff, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) Managing Director and others,  to explain why the airport would be closed for six weeks.

Last Thursday’s meeting involving the Senate, Amaechi and Sirika ended in a stalemate over lack of accurate information on the cost of the project.

The Senate demanded from Sirika the cost of the project and other expenses that would be incurred in ferrying passengers from – Kaduna to Abuja.

Sirika failed to provide the cost.

According to him, the estimated cost of the project is N5.8 billion. But, the senators rejected the estimate, insisting on valid and specific information on cost of the project.

Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, insisted that the minister must provide a detailed document.

Ekweremadu said: “Mr. Minister, can you please give us the cost of the repair works and the break down of the financial cost? Specifically, how much you intend to spend in conveying passengers from Kaduna Airport to Abuja during the closure of Abuja Airport? We need to know.”

Sirika’s failure to furnish the Senate with the actual cost made the upper chamber to reschedule appointment with the minister for today.

Senate President Bukola Saraki, said: “Discussion on the matter will resume today.’’

Former President, Aviation Round Table (ART), a non-governmental organisation, Capt. Dele Ore, has called on  the Federal Government to use the opportunity that would be presented by the shutting of Abuja airport for repairs, to review its Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) with other countries to rectify the lopsidedness of the agreements.

Ore, who said Kaduna was a good choice for the diversion, added: “The government should use this period to review BASA. It can ask the foreign airlines to choose one entry point. The government can use this closure to review our policy because it favours the foreign airlines more. Abuja airport must remain closed until it meets international standard.’’

He, however, urged the government to immediately deploy good facilities, such as potable Instrument Landing System to Kaduna airport for higher efficiency.

Nigeria Society of Engineers (NSE) President, Otis Anyaeji last week faulted the six-week duration for the repair of the airport, describing it as unrealistic.

Anyaeji, who spoke in Abuja, said considering the economic and social implications of the airport shut down, the Federal Government should embrace modern engineering model adopted during runway repair of the Frankfurt Airport, Germany.

He said the government could adopt other options, such as repairing the runway in batches or doing the work from 6pm to 6am.

Anyaeji said: “Six weeks for the airport runway repair is impossible. The NSE will send a petition to the President that the government should conduct itself in the right order and do things as being practised in developed societies.”

Centurion Securities Managing Director, Group Capt. John Ojikutu (rtd), said if the Abuja Airport runway were rehabilitated four years earlier, the situation would not have been as bad as it is today.

“Must we divert Abuja traffic to Kaduna? Why can’t the Minna Airport serve the purpose for the local flights? After all, it is closer to Abuja than Kaduna. The runway in Minna will still accommodate aircraft whose takeoff and landing runs are within 1000 to 2000 metres.

Ojikutu said the choice of Kaduna for air traffic diversion would scare most foreign airlines away.

“My only worry is that they want to use Kaduna for traffic and I ask the question: “why can’t they use Minna?” Minna may not be as good as Kaduna, but a 737 can land in Minna.

Nigerian Aviation Safety Initiative (NASI) Governing board Chairman, Capt. Dung Pam, said though temporary closure of the runway was for safety concerns, the effects would be too huge on the already troubled sector.

Pam said Kaduna Airport does not have the capacity to cope with the anticipated traffic.

“It is going to be a serious dislocation of the nexus of our air travel system. Every major airport in the country connects to Abuja and Lagos. So, to have that place completely shut for six weeks will be a huge blow to the travelling public.

Last week, the National Association of Nigerian Travel Agencies (NANTA) President, Bankole Bernard, hinted that many international airlines might withdraw their services to Kaduna airport.

His words: “International airlines will never joke with the safety of their passengers. They may want to leave or withdraw their services for six weeks. They have expressed fears that they don’t want to go to Kaduna.’’

Meanwhile, aviation sector unions: National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) and the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE) have petitioned President Muhammadu Buhari over what they described as the “misadventure” of planned six weeks’ closure of Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NNIA), Abuja.

They faulted the choice of Kaduna Airport as an alternate aerodrome, saying facilities at the airport could not accommodate domestic and international traffic.

The unions said Sirika sidelined the relevant agency of the government, which is supposed to handle the runway repairs.

According to them, Sirika, who is assuring Nigerians of adequate security on the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway, was going beyond services outside his purview and control.

In January 13 letter signed by Comrades Olayinka Abioye, Aba Ocheme and Francis Akinjole, the unions said total closure of the airport would be counter productive.

They said the closure would lead to significant loss of revenue for agencies at the airport and jeopardise the livelihood of workers and people, who do business around the airport. Instead of total closure, the unions canvassed skeletal repairs.

They said the government should put measures in place to construct an additional runway.

The petition reads in part: “An additional runway should be effectively considered for construction as a long-term measure while the subsisting one is continued to be put in use, under some phased reconstruction.

“Skeletal repairs of the runway could be adopted by allowing the airport for use, likely between 6.00am and 6.00pm, while fixing of the major damaged portions of the runway continues during the nights, as has been done in several parts of the world. Why should Nigeria’s case be different?’’