Tag Archives: Hadi Sirika

VIDEO: Abuja airport runway is 57.5% completed, says aviation minister Hadi Sirika

Posted on by
18

Hadi Sirika, minister of state for aviation, says the rehabilitation of runway of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, is more than halfway completed.

The Abuja airport was temporarily closed on March 8 to give room for a six-week repair of its runway.

While briefing journalists in Abuja on Thursday, the minister said: “Work is going on smoothly and everything is in order.”

Sirika also noted that the airport will be reopened for use on April 19.

“The contractor has mobilised fully and we have gone now about 57.5 per cent of the total work which is good and which shows that we are on time and that we are doing what we are supposed to do to ensure that the runway is opened come 19th of April,” he said.

“I am being asked what is imported for this purpose. There is a new technology where glass grid is put in the process of constructing the runway to re-enforce it, to give it extra strength and prevent cracks.

“This is the first time any Nigerian runway is being treated with such material and that material is a 50 tonner. We had to fly it in to Nigeria to ensure that it comes in time for this job and you have seen samples of it.

“The runway work is going according to plan and you could also see that we are working simultaneously. Whilst the surface work is being finished, the installation of lightings are going on at the same time. Channels are being cut for the laying of wires and also installing the lights at the same time. So, we are on course and this runway will be opened on April 19.”

“On Abuja runway rehabilitation site, work about 57.5% completed! Thank you all for the support,” Sirika had also tweeted.

While rehabilitation is ongoing, local and international flights have been diverted to Kaduna International Airport.

FAAN, Julius Berger releases progress report on Abuja airport repairs

Posted on by
7

The Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria and Julius Berger, the contractor handling the repair of Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja runway, have said the work is 40 per cent completed.

The duo gave made this known in Abuja on Monday when members of the House of Representatives Committee on Aviation, led by its Chairman, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, inspected the project.

Yemi Ayelesan, the Resident Engineer, FAAN, told the committee that the hardest part of the work, which is mailing of the 3.6km runway, had been completed.

He explained that the laying of ‘’fibre glide rubber”, which prevents water from going deep underground and also prevent runway from cracking, has also been completed.

Ayelesan told the committee that the contractors are working to specifications and would deliver on schedule, expressing confidence that the six weeks period for reopening of the airport was feasible.

According to him, the contractors are working round the clock to ensure that they meet the deadline.

Ayelesan said the repair work was a total reconstruction and not partial rehabilitation, explaining that the entire runway had been excavated for laying of asphalt.

He said there were isolated areas that were so bad that required digging deeper beyond mailing and laying of asphalt, stating that the entire surface were mailed to a certain depth.

According to him, there is nothing like partial rehabilitation, even the taxi way is being repaired.

Ayelesan saidL “Laying asphalt does not take time; it is the easiest part of the work.

“The lighting system is the next step, and the cable can be fixed within two days.

“As things are now, we will start fixing the light cable on March 29.”

Dr. Lai’s Richter, the Project Manager, Julius Berger, said the work was being done in line with the programme of work.

Richter said the fixing of the lighting cable would commence on Wednesday, restating that the runway repairs would be completed the before April 19 deadline.

Onyejeocha said their visit was to seek explanation on the level of work so far in line with the project agreement.

She also raised concern as to whether the repair work was a total reconstruction or partial repair, urging the contractor to ensure the completion of the project as scheduled.

“We want them to know that Nigerians are concerned and that there should be no extension of the completion date based on the agreement that we have put in place,” she said.

The contractors have recorded progress within 19 days since the commencement of work.

The runway was shut on March 8 for six weeks for its total repair and Abuja flights diverted to Kaduna pending the completion of the repair work.

I Will Resign If Abuja Airport Is Not Opened By April 19 – Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika

Posted on by
1

The Minister of State for Aviation Hadi Sirika has said that he will resign if the Abuja International Airport is not opened by April 19, 2017.

The minister made this known at a meeting between the Ministry of Information and an Aviation Industry Pressure group round table in Lagos.

The Minister said the level of work on the Abuja runway in the past three weeks shows that the re-opening will be on schedule.

At the same meeting, the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed debunked social media reports saying the runway will be closed for an extended 18 weeks.

Aviation minister invites foreign airlines to inspect Kaduna Airport

Posted on by
Reply

Hadi Sirika, minister of aviation, has invited foreign airline operators to inspect the Kaduna international airport.

The airport will be used as an alternative during the six weeks that Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, would be closed.

Speaking on Thursday during a meeting with representatives of the foreign airlines operating the Abuja route, Sirika said he called the meeting to know if the operators would need additional facilities at the Kaduna airport.

The minister said the Kaduna airport was fully ready to accommodate traffic diversion from Abuja between March 8 and April 9 – the period the Abuja runway would be undergoing repairs.

“We also planned to invite you to visit Kaduna probably in the next few days which we will be showing you the level of preparedness for the movement into Kaduna,” Sirika said.

“I thought it wise that at this point in time, having made Kaduna very ready for the operation, there is need to discuss certain things with you. I have called this meeting to discuss how movement into Kaduna would look like and to know if there are further requirements.”

Although, representatives of the foreign airlines declined to speak with journalists after the meeting, it was learnt that the Ethiopian Airlines expressed its readiness to fly to the Kaduna airport.

 

Source: The Cable

SHOCKING: Lifespan of Abuja airport runway expired 21 years ago. – Minister

Posted on by
1

Hadi Sirika, minister of state for aviation, says the runaway of the Nnamdi Azikwe airport, Abuja, exceeded its lifespan in 1996.

Sirika, who made this statement while speaking at the senate, explained that the runway was constructed in 1982 — with a lifespan of 14 years. He said continued operations at the airport would be unsafe and unreasonable, as incidents are recorded daily.

Noting that the proposed repair of the runway would cost N5.8billion, Sirika said the runway repair was “as critical as the economy of the country”.

The minister gave a guarantee of 10 years, saying that the runway would serve the country for a long time after the repair. He said the runway, which is proposed to be shutdown in March, will be reopened after six weeks for better service delivery.

He said that while the runway would be shutdown for six weeks, repairs would last for six months.

He assured the public that unlike the Port Harcourt Airport, which was shutdown for two and half years because the runway got bad, the repair of the Abuja runway would take only six weeks.

“Closure of runway is not new. It is done all over the world. The action is in the best interest of Nigeria,” Sirika said.

“The runway is in dilapidated situation and poses security and safety threat to Nigerians. We will complete the maintenance work in six weeks; we will work day and night.”

Sirika further said that while the Abuja airport remains shut, the Kaduna airport would serve as an alternative.

He added that the ministry of aviation was collaborating with immigration, ministry of agriculture, police and other relevant stakeholders for smooth operations at the Kaduna airport.

The airport had earlier been closed for three days, and also for another 30 hours, with the Kaduna airport announced as alternative.

The senate had expressed reservations about the decision to close the airport and summoned three ministers: Babatunde Fashola, the minister of works, power and housing, Rotimi Amaechi, the minister of transportation and Hadi Sirika, the minister of state for aviation.

“Senate is worried that a six-week outright closure of a major and the only airport in the Federal Capital Territory can trigger untold hardships on air travellers,” a motion by the senate read.

“The senate is determined to explore all other possible options that can avert the planned total closure of a strategic national airport for six weeks.”

FG To Concession Abuja, Lagos, Kano, Port Harcourt Airports

Posted on by
Reply

The Minister of State, Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika, says the Federal Government will concession the Abuja, Lagos, Port Harcourt and Kano international airports in the first phase of its concession programme.

Sirika disclosed this at the 2016 Aviation Stakeholders Forum on Monday in Abuja.

“The thinking is that just like every other place in the world, we will concession our airports and we are beginning with the big four,
Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Kano.

“It would have been ideal to take them to some level of acceptance for them to attract more.

“But I think we just get those guys who believe that in Nigeria they can create a hub geographically given by God.

“To come and put in their money and create this hub, build these airports, concession them, run them and make money out of them.’’

He said that the current facilities at the airports did not meet international standard and best practices in the aviation industry, adding that private sector involvement was the way forward.

According to him, if the government is able to concession the four airports successfully in the first phase, it will pay attention to
providing infrastructure and developing domestic airports for optimal performance.

Sirika also said that the state of the Abuja airport runway was a source of concern.

He said government may consider closing down the airport as form of safety precaution.

He said that government was committed to upgrading the existing facilities at the airports as well as developing new strategy to repositioning the sector.

The minister also stated that a comprehensive security check and vulnerability assessment of the airports had been carried out to ensure that airports were properly secured.

According to him, every huge major disaster in the world such as the Pearl Habour attack, Sept. 11 attack on the U.S. among others, are aviation related disasters.

“Safety is the main focus in aviation because, the time a passenger arrives airport, when he takes off and land is very important.

“We are developing a new security strategy in partnership with international security organisations and procurement of modern equipments.’’

 

(NAN)

Minister Suspends Abuja Airport Officials Over Turkish Airlines fiasco

Posted on by
16

The Minister of State for Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, has ordered the suspension of three top officials of Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, over the recent incident involving Turkish Airlines at the airport. Sirika disclosed this while briefing newsmen after listening to explanations by the airport officials on the incident on Sunday in Abuja.

 
He added that the ministry had also ordered thorough investigation to ascertain the cause of the breach, as well as why the airline brought in passengers without their luggage. The suspended officials, according to him, are the Airport Manager, Terminal Manager and Head of Airport Security, who were ordered to handover to their next in rank pending the conclusion of the investigation.

 
The minister said the explanation by the officials of the airport that the security personnel on duty were overpowered was not acceptable, ordering for thorough investigation into the incident. He stated that the actions of the passengers by forcing their ways into the tarmac and blocked the aircraft from taking off was a security breach which must not be condoned.

 
He said: “There has been an unfortunate incident where some agitated passengers of the Turkish Airlines arrived without their luggage making them to force their way into the tarmac which is a breach of security. “The explanation given is not satisfactory because the primary purpose of the government is to ensure safety of lives and property of its citizens.

 
“The cardinal objective of this administration is to secure the country and manage it and we cannot fail in aviation and we cannot fail in this important assignment at a very important point. “We have ordered for the investigation into the matter immediately and all the people that are manning the various places; Airport Manager, Terminal Manager and Head of Security, should handover to the next man in rank pending the outcome of the investigation.

 
“As to the airline also, the Consumer Protection Unit of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has been ordered to find out what happened, how compliant they are and deal with it accordingly,” he said. Sirika said the ministry was yet to get the flight manifest to be able to ascertain the number of passengers involved, which he added were many in number.

 
According to him, they got agitated and apparently they got access into the prohibited area because there was security lapse. The minister stated that the nation’s aviation sector had the capacity to grow, adding that it was already showing signal that it could tremendously contribute to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

 
According to him, aviation is carrying by value, 31 per cent of the world cargo which make it a very important industry as the fastest means of transportation more efficiently.

 
He said: “With specific to Nigeria, you could see how we grew from Kano Airport where the first plane landed in the country to about 22 Federal Government-owned airports plus several other private owned airports. “On the whole, aviation, I can say, has grown to an appreciable level in the country and it has the capacity to grow more which is important to the economy of the country.”