Why Akanu Ibiam Airport has not enjoyed full international certification by Minister

• Releases N1.7 billion for Intl Wing
Christopher Isiguzo in Enugu
The federal government on Monday lamented that the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu would not enjoy full international certification until the myriads of challenges constituting security threats at the airport are fully addressed.

The government specifically frowned at the activities of some individuals who had erected properties around the airport, insisting that such properties should be demolished immediately.

The Minister of State for Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, who stated this after an inspection tour of facilities at the airport, said the federal government had already released N1.7billion for construction work to continue at the international wing of the airport, stressing that more money would be made available when the 2018 was released for completion work.

Explaining that government was determined to realise the completion of the airport in record time, the minister said full international flight would only commence with the removal and relocation of several property obstructing the runway, security and flight operations.

Some of the offending properties, according to him, are the multi-million naira Enugu Empower free trade zone, whose foundation was laid in 2016 by the state government; the Orie Emene market; television and radio stations masts, residential buildings as well as fencing of the airport.

Sirika, who lamented the level of encroachment at the Enugu airport, stated that the runway expansion which the incumbent administration embarked upon had been hampered by encroachment, stressing that “people willingly set up structures along the runways.

“Government decided to expand the runway from 2.5 kilometres to three km to accommodate more international flights and cargoes, but stopped midway because people built within 100 metres on the runway. We need to dam the river to enable us use the water to service the airport.

“The Orie market is a security threat. There is an abattoir in the market that attracts vultures which portends danger to flights. There is a road leading to the Very High Frequency Omni-Directional Radio Range (VOR) which is in terrible state. It functions 24 hours because it guides pilots in their flights.

“Without this, this airport cannot be operated. The road is 1.5 kilometres and we need to build it because it is impassible during the rainy season.”

The minister who later paid a courtesy call on the state Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, explained that unless the security concerns at the airport were addressed, the certification of the airport to an international status would not be possible.

He called on the state government to do the needful as he would do all in his abilities to ensure that Enugu was given its rightful status in view of its economic viability.

The governor had told the minister that he would do all in his ability to ensure that the airport gets an international status to enhance Enugu’s economic and social status.

He pleaded with the minister to put all the requests in writing as quickly as possible in order to fasten the issues raised even as he immediately asked the Ministry of Enugu Capital Territory to immediately demolish the structures located few metres from the airport runway.