The Managing Director of the Federal Airport Authority of
Nigeria (FAAN), Saleh Dunoma, has said the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport
in Abuja, would be ready by April 17 – two days before the six-week deadline
elapses.
Dunoma said this in a statement signed by the media
consultant to the Minister of State for Aviation, Mr Ariyo Akinfenwa, on Sunday
in Lagos.
“We will be ready April 17 but we are leaving the remaining
two days for Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA)
“We have written to them and they will come by today
(Sunday) to do the preliminary inspection.
“They have to certify the airport that what we have done is
in accordance with their standards.
“If there is any observation as a result of the inspection,
we will now make sure we carry out corrections,” the FAAN boss said.
Dunoma also stated that with the level of work done, the
April 19 deadline will not be moved.
“All the critical items of work are 100 per cent except may
be two items; which of course are the markings and the cleaning.
“Asphalt work is 100 per cent, markings have reached almost
70 per cent and the airfield lighting system has reached 80 per cent,” Dunoma
added.
He added:”We are now levelling all the airfield lightings’
locations, all the installations and flash with the ground surface.
“In case of any skidding, there will not be concrete
projection above the ground surface.”
He also said the new runway does not need calibration,
because the previous Navigational Aids were not tampered with.
“The runway does not need calibration. All we need to check
is to make sure there is 100 per cent illumination.
“Calibration is done periodically. When the time come for
calibration, the appropriate authority will calibrate the Instrument Landing
System (ILS),” Dunoma said.
By Ifreke Inyang
