By Sade Williams
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, on Friday, promised to prioritise the functionality of Kaduna airport, after a brief hiatus of operations into the airport.
He made the promise when the governor of Kaduna State, Senator Uba Sani paid him a courtesy visit in his office in Abuja.
Sani, who bemoaned the dilapidated infrastructure at the Kaduna Airport said: “the airport is an eyesore, no aircraft is landing there at the moment, that’s why I had to make this trip to your office so we can know what to do”.
He was not happy that pilots now see Kano airport and Nigeria AirForce Base airwings as alternative rather than Kaduna airport.
Speaking further, he said he had personally appealed to Air Peace and United Nigeria Airlines management to look into the possibility of resuming operations to the airport.
“Right now, I have spoken to Air Peace and United Airline on the possibility of resuming flight operations at the airport but we found out there’s a need to upgrade and improve some of the facilities for effective aeronautical services, the governor added.
Responding, Keyamo promised promising to expedite action on the improvement of the Kaduna airport facilities.
“Coincidentally, I am planning a visit to one of my agencies in Zaria soon, the Nigeria College of Aviation Technology and now, as a matter of urgency, I have to factor-in, the inspection of the Kaduna airport in the journey, it is very important that we make the Kaduna Airport fully operational because it is a good alternative to the Abuja airport should anything happen, so I am promising you that, I’ll give it priority in weeks to come”, he said.
