There is disquiet in the aviation industry over the fresh approval of N3.4bn as consultancy fee for the second runway of Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja.

The second runway project has been in the drawing board since the first tenure of President Muhammadu Buhari and has seen an annual budgetary allocation for six years non-stop.

Despite the desirability of the project to create an alternative landing facility for the second busiest airport in Nigeria after the Lagos Airport, experts and stakeholders in the aviation industry are befuddled over the funding patterns of the project, which they said have not been defined.

Earlier, media reports said that the second runway was initially estimated to gulp N67bn. It was last year revised to N92bn.

And from 2017 to 2022, a total sum of N65bn has been allocated to the project in the annual budget though it was unclear if releases were made.

Also, earlier reports had stated that in the 2017 budget, N10bn was voted for the project and in 2018, N8bn was proposed while N13bn was voted for the project in 2019; N14bn in 2021.

And since then nothing has been done on the project until last year when the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) allocated land for the construction of the second runway.

The Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, had promised that the contract, which was awarded to China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation Nigeria Limited (CCECC), would be delivered in 12 months.

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), also, had stated that 12,000 hectares of land were made available for the project.

The proposed second runway for the Abuja airport is expected to come with modern facilities like the category one instrument landing system (ILS) and other modern navigational aids.

Also, it will be more rugged but may still be 3,600 meters (3.6km), according to the design.

Despite the increasing traffic in Abuja and the frequent VIP movements that usually stall passenger flights with the attendant flight delays and cancellations, the runway project has been stalled.

Just last week, Abuja Airport was shut for more than three hours when a Max Air 737-300 aircraft suffered tyre bursts on landing at the airport.

Passengers were evacuated on the runway and the aircraft was there for hours before it was towed after inspection by the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) for the purpose of investigation of the serious incident.

The frequent flight disruptions in Abuja caused by VIP movements and unexpected incidents on the runway, according to stakeholders, have justified the need for an alternative runway in the federal capital.

However, the status of the project remains unclear as of press time amidst fresh approval of N3.4bn as post-contract consultancy fee for the runway.

The approval was given on Wednesday by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) at the end of its meeting, according to presidential spokesperson, Mallam Garba Shehu.

“The council also approved for post contract consultancy amounting to N3.4 billion for the construction of the 2nd runway and associated facilities at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International airport, Abuja,” Shehu said.

There was no clarity on the new approval and what it was meant for as of yesterday.

Dr James Odaudu, Special Assistant on Public Affairs to the Minister of Aviation Hadi Sirika, explained that the fresh approval was for a post-contract consultancy fee.

He, however, directed our correspondent to the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) for further explanation on the new approval.

“It is a FAAN project and FAAN should be in a better position to explain it,” he said even as he claimed not to have any information on the status of the project.

When contacted, the Ag. General Manager, Corporate Affairs of FAAN, Mrs. Faithful Hope-Ivbaze directed our correspondent to the ministry for any comment about the project.

“This is a federal government project and I cannot speak about it. Everything happening about the second runway is actually from the ministry.

“We (FAAN) are only an airport operator. It is when the project has been done that it can be delivered to us. So I cannot categorically tell you anything that has to do with the funding and all of that,” she said in a telephone chat with Daily Trust.

However, stakeholders said the second runway project is an “absolute necessity”, but they queried what they called the “humongous amount” of money budgeted for consultancy fees.

A former General Secretary of the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), Comrade Olayinka Abioye, noted that the fresh consultancy fee may be an avenue to siphon funds.

He said, “It is an absolute necessity for Abuja to have a second Runway for whatever it is worth. As you may wish to know, the cleanest way public officers make money indirectly these days is through consultancy sees.

“We all recall that the same consultants got approval of more than 2 billion on the Runway, which the Honourable minister has graciously informed us that will be delivered in 10 months as the project is said to be ongoing.

“Unfortunately, some of us are at a loss as to what is called post consultancy fee, which is gulping a humongous N3.4 billion or thereabout. All we should focus on at this particular moment in our political history is to pray for 29th May to meet us in peace so that we can send forth this regime with pomp and pageantry.”

Aviation analyst, Capt. Alex Nwuba also called for clarity on the new approval, saying, “It’s difficult to second guess what the consultancy engagement is about. We certainly require additional information.”

On her part, the Managing Partner, Avaero Capital, Sindy Foster, asked the incoming administration to “Review all budgets and all spending at the earliest opportunity to ascertain value for Nigeria and Nigerians.” (Daily Trust)

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