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.