The Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi has reiterated that the Federal Government is not going back on the closure of the Nnmadi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja for six weeks saying the government is not repairing but rebuilding and if anything happens Nigerians will ask for their head and he would not resign.
According to him, already Lufthansa has been grounded for the past three days due to damaged gear on landing.
He spoke this at the Second Presidential Business Forum, a platform to engage and interact with the private sector to keep them abreast with government’s policies, programmes and activities, presided over by Acting President Yemi Osinbajo.
Amaechi was responding to the concerns of the negative impact of the closure of the airport by the President of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Frank Udenba-Jacobs, who made a presentation on behalf of the Organised Private Sector (OPS).
Amaechi said the airport has outlived its 20 years live span and is now 34 years, adding that the work to be done is not repairs but complete rebuilding of the airport.
He pointed out that the entire architecture of the runway from bottom to top has collapsed, insisting it is totally unsafe to continue to use the runway, adding that the work cannot only be done at night.
Amaechi said, “We are not going back on closure of Abuja airport. I understand that Lufthansa landed and damaged their gear and have been here for three days. The runaway was built to last for 20 years but it has been in use now for 34 years.
“We cannot do it only at night. We don’t want to loose anybody. We are not repairing but rebuilding. If anything happens you will ask us to resign and we don’t want to resign.”
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