The Minister of State for Aviation, Hadi Sirika, on Monday
in Borno State inaugurated the rehabilitated Maiduguri International Airport
building, which was abandoned four years ago.
Sirika, during the inauguration, hinted that the President
Muhammadu Buhari-led government, upon assumption of office, embarked on 157
projects between 2015 and now, and have
so far completed 134 of them hundred percent.
He revealed that the Maiduguri terminal building
rehabilitation commenced in 2013 and was abandoned, but President Buhari told
us that we should first complete all abandoned and uncompleted projects, and
this is one of them.
The minister stated that the project underscored
the importance of Borno as a state and Northeast as a region, because being
ravaged by insecurity, "we place importance to this airport which we have
completed as well as other facilities to ensure safe and secure operations in
this airport.”
According to him, "So, I am saying that the
aviation sector of the transportation ministry had commenced between 2015 and
2019 157 projects. Many of them we
started and some of them we met uncompleted."
He added that about 13 of the remaining projects are
below 50 percent and the remaining are above 50 percent, and "I can assure
you that soon after the next minister comes on board, he will conclude the
outstanding projects to make the 157 projects completed."
Similarly, the Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Dr. Abubakar Elkanemi,
while welcoming the minister to his palace, requested the federal government to
kindly install all of the equipment that would assist in safe operations of the
airport and also to commence Hajj in the airport.
Commending Sirika for the visit, he said: "In two or
three months’ time, hajj operations will commence. I urge that the runway
rehabilitation and other equipment at the airport should be prioritised, such
that our people will not be moved to other states for airlift,” he said.
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