Festus Keyamo, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, has called allegations that a private business was granted 80 years of use of Enugu’s Akanu Ibam International Airport untrue.
According to Naija News, Keyamo clarified that no private company has reached a concession agreement for any international airports in the nation.
The Minister clarified in a statement written by his Special Adviser on Media, Tunde Moshood, on Monday that all concession applications have not yet been approved.
He emphasized that the government chose to concession airports in order to guarantee the best possible operation and administration of the airports.
It said: “We have noticed several web reports and stories indicating that a long-term concession has been agreed upon for the Enugu International Airport. These stories and rumors are completely false and without any basis.
While it is true that the Federal Government is looking at proposals for the concession of five major airports, this is a proactive step to make sure that, given the growing financial demands of their operations, these essential facilities can reach and maintain worldwide standards. Since many of our airports are now losing money, the federal government must provide monthly subsidies. It is important to highlight that earlier administrations initiated this concession project.
At this stage, prospective concessionaires have indeed submitted various proposals, including different durations for the concession. It is important to emphasize that the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development has not established any fixed duration. All submitted proposals are currently undergoing thorough evaluation that will eventually be reviewed by the ICRC before it is presented to the Minister for conveyance to FEC for approval. We can confirm that this review process has not been concluded. However, for the sake of transparency, the Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo SAN directed, some months ago that the Aviation Labour Unions be included as part of the negotiating teams.
“Therefore, we must state unequivocally that the information suggesting a predetermined concession duration is false, unfounded, and intended to cause unwarranted disaffection and mistrust in this process by those with entrenched interests.
“Please be assured that the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development is committed to a transparent process that adheres strictly to due process. With his training and track record, the Minister will not allow anything untoward to happen under his watch. He has so far run the Ministry in a transparent manner and will not fall into the same mistake of the past. We will ensure that all decisions are made in the best interest of the nation and the aviation sector.”
About The Author
