Photo Caption
Aviation Minister receiving the award from President, Nigerian Institute of Architects, Sunny Echono
By Ignatius Ushie
Minister of Aviation Sen. Hadi Sirika has received the Honorary Fellowship and Distinguished Service Award of the Nigerian Institute of Architects for “unprecedented infrastructural developments within the aviation sector under his leadership”. This was contained in a statement made available to Transport Day on Thursday in Abuja.
The Award was given to the Minister at the Institute’s Architecture Annual Award 2021 in Abuja.
According to the Institute, under his supervision, the Ministry of Aviation embarked upon 157 projects and delivered 134 to 100% completion, for the first time in the history of Nigerian Aviation.
It was noted that amongst the Minister’s numerous landmark achievements which earned him the award were the completion of the international terminals at four (4) airports, namely the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, Murtala Mohammed Airport, Lagos, Port Harcourt International Airport, and the Malam Aminu Kano Airport which it described as architectural masterpieces.
The Institute also cited the rehabilitation of the runways of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja and the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu according to ICAO specifications which were not only delivered ahead of schedule, but within budget.
“Airports under his watch were certified (Abuja and Lagos). It is also on record that Aviation has become the fastest-growing sector in the Nigerian economy Pre-Covid 19 passenger grew from 8 to 18 million and similarly all allied businesses have grown tremendously” the citation stated.
Receiving the award, Senator Hadi Sirika, also a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society, expressed his appreciation to the Institute for recognising his modest achievements in the aviation sector, even though he was not an architect by profession.
He said he had been invited to receive numerous awards honours fellowships and even honorary doctorate degrees, numbering about 390 all of which he declined.
According to him, he had to make an exception for the Nigerian Institute of Architects award because of the integrity of the institution.
“I am more than glad to accept this, I cherish it, I will keep it, I will nurse it and I will carry it to one of my sons or daughters who will be an architect”.
