The Senate Committee on Aviation has revealed that N15bn has been provided in the 2021 budget for the construction of a second runway at the Abuja Airport.
The Chairman of the panel, Smart Adeyemi, disclosed this in an interview with journalists on Sunday.
Adeyemi said, “We have a provision for a second runway in Abuja, which will save us from some of the occasions when planes will have to be hovering and maybe some of them when they run out of fuel or some of them trying to go to the nearby airports to land.
“When we have a second runway, we are guaranteeing the safety of both the passengers and the aircraft, and we are equally minimising cost.
“This is because when planes don’t hover around, it means they can accurately calculate the quantity of gas that is required. So, it’s a good thing to have a second runway.”
Adeyemi said the second runway ought to have been done 10 to 15 years ago.
READ ALSO: Accident Investigation Bureau releases three accident reports
He said, “But we have made a provision of N15bn for it. We have another about N10bn again for the Katsina Airport. We also intend to set up Aircraft and Machines Station in Katsina.
“Apart from that, quite a number of the airports are unfenced and that accounts for when you see animals straying right into the airports and others.
“So, we are proposing perimeter fencing in quite a number of airports in Nigeria in order to safeguard the airports.”
According to him, there is equally provision for purchasing more meteorological equipment, so that there can be an accurate forecast of the weather.
“The take-off and landing of planes will be well guided,” he added.
Adeyemi also said abandoned airstrips across the country would be rehabilitated and made operational in order to encourage air travel.
