The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, was put under scrutiny by the House Committee on Aviation regarding the deteriorating state of infrastructure at Nigeria’s local and international airports.
Chairing the session in Abuja, Chairman of the House Committee, Abdullah Garba, expressed concerns over the condition of airport facilities and emphasized the need for immediate government intervention.
Garba also raised issues about the safety of personnel and stakeholders within the airports, describing it as a cause for worry.
The committee’s primary focus is to assist in identifying essential equipment and resources required to rejuvenate the aviation sector.
Keyamo addressed the committee, acknowledging the severity of the infrastructural decay at the airports and highlighting the Ministry’s efforts in conducting safety assessments and international audits by the International Civil Aviation Authority (ICAO).
He reassured the lawmakers that the Ministry is in the process of compiling a list of necessary upgrades and safety standards to align all airports with international safety measures.
In response to questions about awarded contracts, Keyamo explained that many of the projects are still ongoing under the Ministry’s oversight.
Following the discussions, the committee members and stakeholders convened an executive session to delve deeper into the issues raised during the meeting.