The House Committee on Aviation recently questioned Festus Keyamo, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, about the deteriorating infrastructure at Nigeria’s local and international airports. During an interface meeting in Abuja, Rep. Abdullah Garba, Chairman of the House Committee, highlighted the pressing need for government intervention to address the problematic state of airport infrastructures. He emphasized the importance of ensuring the safety of personnel and stakeholders at the nation’s airports and stated that the committee’s major assignment is to identify the equipment and other necessities required to revitalize the aviation sector.
Minister Keyamo acknowledged the severe infrastructural decay at the airports, describing it as a significant concern for the ministry. He mentioned that the ministry is conducting a safety assessment within the industry and an international audit by the International Civil Aviation Authority (ICAO) to address these issues. Keyamo assured the House Committee that the ministry is compiling a list of requirements and equipment upgrades needed to meet international safety standards at all the nation’s airports.
Regarding the award of contracts by the ministry, Keyamo informed the committee that most of these contracts are for ongoing projects. Following the public session, the House Committee Chairman and other stakeholders moved into an executive session to further address the issues raised.