ALERT: No fence between Kaduna runway and local communities

Although the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, will be closed in about a month, there are concerns that enough measures have not been put in place to secure the runway of the Kaduna airport, where flights will be diverted to.

The federal government decided to shut the airport in the nation’s capital for a period of six weeks in order to carry out repair on its runway, which Hadi Sirika, minister of state for aviation, described as a “disaster waiting to happen”.

Sirika has assuaged the fears of those in doubt that Kaduna is a good alternative.

On Friday, when TheCable visited the Kaduna airport, which sits on a wide expanse of land, works were ongoing, particularly in the major terminal.

Ahead the relocation, the Kaduna state government has commenced the expansion and erection of street lights along the airport road.

An alternative route has also been opened just after Forestry, connecting the Rigasa area of the metropolis to Kaduna-Abuja highway.

However, it was observed that while there is a perimeter fence around the airport village where the hub of the facility is, the same cannot be said of Kotungare, Tabaru and Bunu communities.

These three communities are known for rearing of animals, raising concerns that cows could have access to the runway.

One of the construction workers, who spoke off the record, said the issue of erecting a fence around the area was being considered, but not seen as a priority at the moment.

“There are plans to construct a fence so that animals would not have access to the runway, but our focus at the moment is to meet up the March 8 deadline of making the airport ready,” the worker said.

“Those communities are kilometers away, so it is not that animals can easily have access… We are making progress with the pace of work. Things are picking up, and we are optimistic about delivering.”

Amina Salama, manager of the airport, said everything possible was being done to make the airport available for use before the diversion of flights from Abuja.

She said the contractors had been working round the clock to meet the deadline given by government.

“The major thing that is being done is to ensure that the terminal building is ready before the March 8 deadline,” she told TheCable.

“The Hajj terminal is what we have been using and in the event of any delay in the completion of the main terminal, the Hajj terminal is good enough to be used. It is a full terminal building with all standard facilities.

“But the main terminal is near completion. The tiling has been completed. The fixing of the ceiling, installation of air condition and other electrical fittings are in progress.”

Some aviation stakeholders have expressed displeasure with the decision to close Abuja airport, but the government said it would rather take that action than risk lives.