Workers Begin Training Programs

Nigeria's $57 million Akwa Ibom International Airport could be ready for operation as soon as next January, according to local officials.

Special Assistant to the State Governor, Michael Ukpong, made the announcement to new workers during the opening ceremonies at the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) training school in Lagos, Monday.

Ukpong told reporters the main purpose of the airport will be aircraft maintenance and repair and overhaul. The facility will contain a hangar that is so large, "It cannot be compared to any other in Africa," he said.

The federal government granted Akwa Ibom power to build the national hangar where different levels of aircraft maintenance will be performed, he told the Lagos daily Champion.

"The completion of the airport is central to aircraft maintenance in Nigeria. It will have facilities for repair and overhaul. If you don't know, let me tell you today that the government of the federal Republic of Nigeria granted Akwa Ibom state government the request to build a national hangar, which has not been accomplished in the last 25 years," he said.

According to Ukpong the hangar facility is the main reason why the state government began construction of an international airport in the first place. He said existing tradition stipulate airlines build their own maintenance hangars but this time the airport is building one.

He said that the project is a very ambitious one because there is nothing like it in Africa. There are four other such facilities, but none near the size of Akwa Ibom's.

Part of the Oron-Uyo highway runs across the construction site and will be closed permanently. The state plans to construct replacement road, Ukpong said.

Ukpong said the project will produce the biggest steel structure in West Africa. The state government importing steel from Hong-Kong where crews work round the clock to ensure the work is finished in record time.

The Special Assistant added that although the state government has been footing most of the bill up to this point, it is hoped additional funds will be obtained from both local and international capital sources.

The country's federal government had initially promised funds for the project but President Olusegun Obasanjo later announced the government was divesting its interest from airport development and would, therefore, not financially support the project.

"We asked Mr. President to be involved when he came to lay the foundation ceremony sometime last year, the President said he was divesting from airport development. But we saw the President trying to grant something to Cross River state, so we will approach the President again," Ukpong said.

FMI: www.akianigeria.com/akwaibom/home