Posted by By Kenneth Ehigiator on
AVIATION Minister, Prof. Babalola Borishade, has blamed the delay in completion of rehabilitation work on runway 18R (right) of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, on logistic problems arising from shipment of the airfield lighting equipment from Finland.
AVIATION Minister, Prof. Babalola Borishade, has blamed the delay in completion of rehabilitation work on runway 18R (right) of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, on logistic problems arising from shipment of the airfield lighting equipment from Finland.
The runway was earlier scheduled to be commissioned and put into use in April this year, but this was not to be as the equipment which should facilitate night flight is yet to arrive the country, resulting in continuous use of the alternate runway 18L (left) and attendant air mishaps.
But speaking during his familiarisation tour of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT) in Zaria, Prof. Borishade said the aviation authorities had opted instead to airfreight the equipment from Finland rather than shipping in order to save time.
According to him, the runway should be ready for use at the end of October to reduce the pressure on the alternate runway.
He said: "We have sent people to Finland and they returned to the country to tell us that the components would be airfreighted to the country any time from now. The runway will be commissioned in the next two weeks.
"In fact, by the end of October, we should have two runways of international standard, the airfreighting of the components is to save time."
Prof. Borishade also said the Kaduna airport runway would be extensively resurfaced to prepare the airport for the next Hajj operations.
On NCAT, the minister said the Federal Government was committed now more than ever before to restore the institution's lost glory, especially against the backdrop of inquiries for training of personnel by other countries in West Africa and even beyond.
Borishade, who noted the decay in the college's infrastructure, said the Federal Government had resolved to adequately fund it to stave off a situation where the school's equivalent in South Africa would become an alternative to patrons.
The minister also flew in one of the college's Beech Baron B-58, alongside the permanent secretary of the Aviation Ministry, Mr. Tommy Oyelade, and rector of the college, Engr. (Mrs.) Folashade Odutola, as an indication of the institution's preparedness to take on its challenge of training aviation personnel.