Keyamo Canvasses Support for Airport Infrastructure Development, Promises Successful 2024 Hajj Operation

•FAAN reopens domestic runway at MMIA

Chinedu Eze

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has called on the government of Kano State to support the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) in the management of the Aminu Kano International Airport by assisting the agency in renewal and provision of facilities at the airport.

The Minister also assured there would be a seamless and successful airlift of pilgrims in this year’s Hajj operations.

Keyamo made the promise when he paid a courtesy visit to the governor of Kano State, Abba Kabir Yusuf, at the weekend and said he has outlined plans to ensure that all the airports designated for Hajj airlift are ready to do so.

The minister said state governments should support FAAN in upgrading facilities at the airports located in their states and pledged to always support FAAN in ensuring seamless operations, with plans to collaborate with the Kano State government to ensure a successful pilgrimage.

He also solicited support from the Kano State Government for a dedicated power line to the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport to enhance the airport’s power supply and improve the cooling system, which epileptic power supply has rendered ineffective stating that with adequate power supply, the air conditioning will become very efficient.

The air conditioning became a pressing concern due to the season of the year when temperatures rise to discomforting levels.

FAAN in a statement signed by the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Mrs. Obiageli Orah, said the Deputy Governor, Alhaji Aminu Abdulssalam Gwarzo, who represented the Governor at the occasion responded by assuring the minister and his team that the state government would work diligently to ensure that the request would be swiftly addressed.

The minister was accompanied by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Aviation, Dr. Emmanuel Meribole, the Managing Director/Chief Executive of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mrs. Olubunmi Kuku, and directors from both the Ministry and FAAN.

The Minister, his team and the Deputy Governor undertook facility tour of the airport, which includes the Hajj and cargo terminals.

In another development, Runway 18L has been reopened after the airline, XEjet with the registration number 5N-BZZ, en route from Abuja to Lagos, landed and skidded off the runway on Saturday and the facility was closed immediately after the incident.