The House Committee on Aviation has grilled the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, over the level of decay of infrastructure at the nation’s local and international airports.
The Chairman of the House Committee, Abdullah Garba, interrogated Keyamo during an interface with the minister and other officials of the Ministry of Aviation in Abuja.
Garba stated that the state of infrastructure at the various local and international airports was worrisome and requires urgent government intervention.
While explaining that the safety of personnel and stakeholders at the nation’s airports left much to be desired, the lawmaker added that the major assignment of the committee is to help in identifying the equipment and other items needed to revitalize the aviation sector.
On his part, Keyamo said that the level of infrastructural decay at the nation’s airports was a serious issue of concern to the Ministry.
He emphasized 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.
Keyamo however assured the lawmakers that the Ministry was compiling a list of requirements/equipment for upgrade and safety standards requirements to bring all the nation’s airports to international safety standards.
On the award of contracts by the Ministry, the minister informed the House committee that most of the contracts awarded are still ongoing projects.
The House committee chairman and other invited stakeholders later resolved into an executive session to address the issues of concern to the lawmakers.
