- Emergency rehabilitation gulped N10bn
Mixed reactions have trailed the decision of the federal government to shut down the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu, Enugu State.
The temporary closure of the airport, the only international airport in the South East, for emergency repairs of the runway, came five years after a similar closure by the then administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.
Buhari at the time approved the sum of N10bn for emergency repair of the airport including the dilapidated runway and other ancillary works.
Following the completion of the runway repair which was asphalted, former minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, reopened the runway, bringing relief to the South East which had endured the pains of the closure and diversion of traffic to other airports in the axis.
However, the asphalted runway has failed again despite the repair which has forced the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to shut down the airport again.
Air Peace, one of the airlines operating to the airport, was the first to announce suspension of flights, citing safety concerns.
Dr Ejike Ndiulo, Head of Corporate Communications of Air Peace who confirmed the decision in a statement, said safety issues at Enugu Airport have been causing disruption to Air Peace flights.
But FAAN’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Obiageli Orah, in a statement announced the shutdown of the airport following “a sudden and significant rupture in the asphalt surface at a critical section of the runway.”
She said emergency repairs will be conducted on that portion of the runway from April 22 to May 6, 2025.
“In compliance with Nigerian civil aviation regulations, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has, therefore, closed the runway during this period.
“As part of FAAN’s commitment to passenger safety and the modernisation of airport facilities, the runway will not be open for landings or takeoffs during the rehabilitation period.”
Our correspondent learnt that airlines have diverted flights to airports close to Enugu, namely, the Sam Mbakwe Airport, Owerri in Imo State and the Asaba Airport, Delta State.
The Enugu airport serves nearby cities, including Onitsha, Nnewi, Awka, Abakaliki, Okigwe, Afikpo, Ugep, Orlu and Idah.
Daily Trust learnt that the runway has virtually returned to its old self, causing pilots to experience hard landing on it.
A source at the airport confirmed that the rupture was caused by a waterlogged portion of the airport which the rehabilitation carried out in 2020 failed to address.
“So, anytime it rains, the waterlogged portion of the runway continues to weaken the asphalted surface, making landing bumpy for aircraft,” a source who understands the terrain of the airport said.
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN, however, said the shutdown would take effect from April 22, 2025, while apologising to Nigerians over the development, saying, “The airport is our major international gateway in the Southeastern part of Nigeria.”
“It will be recalled that this same challenge led to the closure of the runway in August 2019 a whole year and the contract for the total rehabilitation was awarded to a contractor.
“Unfortunately, when we came to the office, we discovered that a waterlogged part of the runway was not properly constructed to take care of the problem, leading to constant cracks and potholes on the runway. These obviously put the lives of the travelling public at great risk.
“We have been carrying out constant palliative works on it, but the problem has not abated and the cracks on the runway are becoming craters. I personally visited the airport some months after assuming office and expressed my total displeasure with the work done by the contractor.
“In the meantime, scheduled flight operations to Enugu will be diverted to other neighbouring airports. We are going to work tirelessly to meet the timeline in order to mitigate the inconvenience this closure will cause the travelling public.”
A former senior official with FAAN, who spoke with our correspondent on the airport, said the waterlogged section has remained problematic unless a permanent engineering solution was proffered.
He suggested that the failing portion could be addressed by constructing a culvert underneath the runway to always soak the water which usually weakens asphalt.
Aviation analyst, Group Capt. John Ojikutu, rtd, said considering that the runway has been undergoing rehabilitation from time to time, the professionals in the agencies should be allowed to take charge.
“It is all because the political office holders are the ones in charge and not the professional operators and the necessary concern for the regulatory authority,” he said.
