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In the past weeks, the Federal Government has granted the approval for the upgrade of no fewer than three airports across the country to international statuses.
Already, the airports that have the approvals include Ladoke Akintola Airport, Ibadan, and Muhammadu Buhari Airport, Maiduguri.
While the Oyo State government has already set the gear in motion to commence the process of the Ibadan airport upgrade, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo during his visit to the Borno State government last week announced the decision of the government to upgrade the status of the Maiduguri airport to international airport.
Therefore, barring any minute change, the Maiduguri airport will begin to function as an international airport from January 1, 2025.
According to Keyamo, the establishment of international airport in Maiduguri is strategic to receiving international flights coming in from Middle East into this Nigeria because it has the capacity, the size, population and infrastructure to support as international airport.
The minister highlighted the untapped economic potential of Borno State, noting that the international airport will contribute significantly to the economic revival of the entire North East region.
In his response, Governor Babagana Umar Zulum assured the Federal Government of the political will from North East governors to ensure smooth operations at the airport.
As the information gathered has indicated that more of the existing airports may soon be upgraded in the coming year, key players across the country have expressed serious reservations towards the latest policy with many describing the upgrade policy as being political.
Reacting to the policy, the managing director of Centurion Security Services, Group Captain John Ojikutu (retd), with particular focus on the move to upgrade Maiduguri airport reminded the government to consider the security status of the airport in view of his location in the midst of homegrown terrorism, which may not encourage foreign airlines to patronize it.
His words: “What difference does it make if you are named Dr or Engineer and you have no capacity or the skills to be any? Something is definitely wrong with those in the administration of our government and the management of the agencies. What is the total international passengers traffic in the northern Nigeria International Airports excluding Abuja but including Kano?
“What is the international passengers traffic in the Southern Nigeria at Port Harcourt and Enugu excluding Lagos? Designating Maiduguri Airport as international is not new. This was done over 30 years ago and it’s been a yearly hub only for hajj operations. So redesignating it cannot upgrade the domestic or international passengers traffic. Let the airport grow itself except there are motives besides economic and commercial reasons. When you are thinking of political reasons, think also about the security of the Airport located in the midst of homegrown terrorism. Which foreign airlines are you going to sell the airport to? Think out of the box when you get into the sense of the environment. Besides Kano and Port Harcourt, Enugu is one of the politically driven international airport that has not much traffic as Owerri or Benin Airport.”
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In his short remark about the airports upgrade controversy, the Chief Executive Officer of Selective Security International Limited, Mr. Ayo Obilana, only described the latest decision as political.
For a member of the Aviation Round Table (ART), OlumideOhunayo, while saying there is nothing bad in having more international airports or upgrading more airports , he declared: “I think it’s only Uyo airport in AkwaIbom that has the required facilities on ground. I think it’s qualified to be upgraded.
For Maiduguri airport, my challenge here is the infrastructure, what about the insecurity in that zone, will this not be abused, have they made any effort to start scheduled flights from Maiduguri to outside Nigeria, they have not told us how they came about this, they should be able to put political wishes away. I don’t see Maiduguri airport that has just one or two flights now been upgraded. If there is anything, I want to see more of safety and security in particular being improved upon within that airport vicinity.”
Another key player who spoke in confidence said: “What are the benefits of making all these dead airports International airports when there won’t be economic benefit to the country or the industry. You have not solved the insecurity in the northern region,you are planning on upgrading the airport.”
