The Federal Government says 10 new airports will be constructed across the country to boost civil aviation.
The Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, announced this on Tuesday in Abuja when he appeared before the Senate Committee on Aviation for the 2021 budget defence by the ministry and its agencies.
Sirika mentioned that new airports will be constructed in Lokoja, Kogi state capital, Benue, Ebonyi, Ekiti and other states.
He said that the civil aviation had witnessed growth saying that the number of airports in the country had increased.
Sirika said both the executive arm of government and the National Assembly had done justice to the civil aviation sector since 2015 when the current administration came on board through the development of a roadmap, which was being implemented.
“So, we have about 10 new airports coming up; that is almost half the number of airports we used to have in Nigeria. We are adding 50 per cent of the number of airports,” Sirika said.
He also noted that Kebbi, Osubi, Dutse, Jigawa airports were taken over by the Federal Government while the Gombe State Government had also written the federal authorities, asking it to take over the Gombe Airport.
Meanwhile, Sirika told newsmen after the budget defence that the national carrier, Nigeria Air, was part of the Aviation sector roadmap, which would be delivered before 2023.
“We are on it. The transaction adviser has brought in the outline business case. It is being reviewed by Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC).
“Soon after it completion, it will go to the Federal Executive Council for approval. We will not leave this government without having it in place,” Sirika said.
On the need to cite another airport in Lokoja, Kogi, as alternate to Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja, Sirika said, “Lokoja is an important Northern town.
“Lokoja is a cosmopolitan town, it’s a mini Nigeria and it is extremely very important in growth and development of our country.
“We have a lot of agricultural activities around there. There is fishery, there is perishable item production and so on.
“So sitting an airport there is quite apt. For me, it is something we should have done long ago for its importance,” Sirika said.
