Sirika: 2017 Budget will Address Power Failure in Lagos, Abuja Airports, Others

By Dele Ogbodo in Kano

The Minister of State for Aviation, Mr. Hadi Sirika, sunday, said the challenge of power failure experienced at Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and other airports across the country would be addressed with the 2017 budget.

He affirmed that the 2017 federal appropriation has provision for alternative electricity power supply, should there be failure from the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) at the airports.

The minister made the disclosure after inspecting the ongoing international terminal building works at the Mallam Aminu Kano airport in Kano.

He however admitted that there were power challenges across the airports in 2016, because there was no provision for power in 2016 budget, adding that the two runways at the airport are in perfect condition.

Sirika said: “Here in Kano, we have three standby generators in good condition, so should there be failure, the alternative power will come on.”

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), he added,  was prepared this year to ensure that there is no power failure in our airports.

On the completion of the five new terminals awarded to the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), for $500 million, the minister acknowledged that work was at advanced stage and nearing completion, adding that the job done looks a good one, though the contractor has not given an exact date of completion of the project.

While also expressing satisfaction with facilities at the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria, he said the college is being repositioned for the mandate it was set to deliver.

The minister said: “It is very clear that the College is being repositioned towards being a true centre of excellence.

“You can see that this college is one of a kind; the only college that I have known to have its own airport, it’s own towers, very  elaborate training facilities, hostels, swimming pool, golf course and tennis courts.

“They have training aid units, digital boards, quite a number of active and live hangers to carry out aircraft maintenance.

“And of course they are not 100 per cent, there is room for improvement and I have no doubt that with support from government they should be able to achieve what is expected of them.”

While, admitting that funding for its agencies is shrinking, he charged the management to devise means of sourcing for alternate revenue through exploring alternative source of funding, adding that it makes no sense to decentralise the college for now.

He said: “NCAT has capability to do training in solar light training for technicians etc.I think they have quite a number of things, they would just settle down and need to this out there for the world to see so that they can do with their capability.

“When I was a student here some three decades ago, there students from South Africa, Egypt, Sudan, Ghana, Gambia and a few from India they all came here for training and they got the best of training.

“It still remains the same environment and same college and has been upgraded and I think that this is the time that people should know about it, and therefore people should come and partake in what the college can offer.”

The minister, who assured Nigerians that government will build Aviation University with campuses in Lagos and Abuja, said NCAT would continue to deliver on its mandate while the university will be involved in deeper researches in aircraft building, design and assemblage.

“The University will be fully into research and development and production of higher level management manpower and like I said you need the University to be able to be go into deep research in the hope the in the very near future, Nigeria will start to produce aircraft components until when Nigeria is able to produce aircraft.

“It is no longer a hindrance because the knowledge is out there in the world it is just our capability to produce it as it is no longer a hindrance. We started with Brazil and they are producing aircraft and so why not Nigeria. if India can produce aircraft why not Nigeria.

“So the technology is known and we are not re-inventing the wheel we just need to put our acts together and do it, so the University will cater for that while NCAT will continue to provide the service that it needs to do,” he said.