The Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, has expressed satisfaction with the progress of the ongoing rehabilitation work at the Kaduna Airport.

The governor stated this during an inspection visit to the airport, ahead of the planned closure of the Abuja Airport for repairs of its runway starting from March 8, 2017.

He was accompanied by the Managing Director of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mr Saleh Dunoma, and that of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Captain Mukhtar Usman.

Governor El-Rufai assured the passengers that would be using the Kaduna Airport during the period of adequate safety and security.

He also promised that all the roads and street lights to the airport would be rehabilitated before the end of February.

During the visit, the governor and some officials from the Ministry of Aviation inspected the ongoing work at the new terminal buildings and control tower.

He also urged the residents of the host community where the airport is located to cooperate with the government in its road expansion project, which he said would see to the relocation of their market.

Governor El-Rufai disclosed to Channels Television at the end of the inspection that all arrangements have been put in place to ensure a hitch-free operation during the period.

However, he criticised those opposing the choice of Kaduna Airport as an alternative to Abuja, insisting that the state is safe and secure to host visitors that would arrive the state in March.

The governor further revealed that the state government had begun to repair the Nnamdi Azikiwe by-pass and the road linking the Kaduna Airport to the railway station.

He stated that the project is expected to be completed in good time, in order to ease movement of Abuja bound passengers to and from the airport.

Governor El-Rufai noted that adequate arrangement had also been made by the state government to provide buses to convey passengers to Abuja or to railway station, depending on the choice of the passengers involved.

In their remarks, the FAAN and NCAA bosses said that the Kaduna Airport has the capacity to contain the number of aircraft and passengers that would be using the airport upon the closure of Abuja Airport. (Channels TV)

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