by Azeez Adeniyi

Members of the House of Representatives on Monday said the scheduled completion of the Abuja airport runway may not be possible anymore.

The Abuja airport is scheduled to open on April 19 after six weeks closure for rehabilitation work.

But the lawmakers have said only 40% of the work had been done since the rehabilitation process commenced three weeks ago.

The doubt came aftermembers of the House of Representatives Committee on Aviation inspected the project on Monday.

The committee stated that they would investigate further to ensure that the April 19 completion date given by the government was not extended.

Chairman, House Committee on Aviation, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, after the inspection said the lawmakers were not impressed with the progress made.

She said, “I have my concerns from what I have seen, because the work is divided into three phases, but they are still on the first phase. And from a layman’s angle, which I am, I am saying that I have concerns about the work and that it may not be completed on schedule.

“They are insisting that it will be completed, but it doesn’t add up from what we are seeing. We are concerned about the mechanical and lighting issues, and we are going to be taking it up from there.”

Resident Engineer of FAAN at the Abuja airport, Mr. Yemi Ayelesan said workers were on duty for 24 hours in order to meet the given deadline.

Recall that the Minister of State for Aviation, Hadi Sirika had said he would resign if the runway was not completed at the end of the six weeks.

Azeez