Reps grill minister over infrastructure decay, safety at airports

The House of Representatives has quizzed the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, over the level of decay of infrastructures at the nation’s local and international airports.

Keyamo was interrogated by the House Committee on Aviation during an interface meeting of the committee in Abuja on Wednesday, July 24, 2024.

Speaking, the committee chairman, Abdullah Garba, said the state of infrastructures at the airports was worrisome and needed an urgent government intervention.

The lawmaker also stated that the safety of personnel and stakeholders at the nation’s airports could be overemphasised.

Garba added that the major assignment of the committee was to help in identifying the equipment and other items needed to revitalise the aviation sector.

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Keyamo said the level of infrastructural decay at the nation’s airports was a serious issue of concern to the ministry.

The minister stated that what the ministry needed and is currently doing is a safety assessment within the industry as well as an international audit by the International Civil Aviation Authority (ICAO).

He however assured the House Committee that the ministry was compiling a list of requirements/equipment for upgrade and safety standards requirements to bring all airports to international safety standards.

On the award of contracts by the ministry, Keyamo informed the committee that most of the contracts awarded by the ministry are ongoing projects.

The committee chairman and other invited stakeholders later resolved into an executive session to address the issues of concern to the lawmakers.

The Star