The Federal government through Festus Keyamo, the minister of aviation and aerospace development has said online report and stories suggesting that a certain lengthy period of concession has been agreed upon regarding the Enugu International Airport are utterly baseless and untrue.
In a statement by Tunde Moshood, Special Adviser on Media and Communications to Kayamo, he stated that whilst it is true that the Federal Government is considering proposals for the concession of five major airports, this is a proactive measure to ensure these vital facilities can meet and maintain international standards, given the increasing financial demands of their operations.
Moshood said many of the country’s airports are presently running at a loss, so they have to be subsidised each month by the Federal Government, adding that it is noteworthy that this initiative to concession started from previous administrations.
Read also: Enugu airport closure: Airlines divert flights to Anambra, Asaba
“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,” the statement reads.
However, for the sake of transparency, he said the minister 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.
Read also: FAAN shuts down Enugu airport for runway maintenance
“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”, he added.
