THIS SENATE:
Observes that the AkanuIbiam International Airport in Enugu was upgraded to the status of International Airport on August 24, 2013.
Notes that the upgrade of the airport was a fulfilment of the dreams of the people of South-East of Nigeria who are famed entrepreneurs and have long clamoured for direct flights to parts of the world where they engage in myriad of commercial activities in order to cut costs associated with logistics and distance.
Notes that as an International Gateway for an important part of Nigeria, aside the technical requirements for the upgrade to international airport status by the extension, asphalting, marking and standardization of the runways to accommodate bigger aircraft, there was also the requirement for improved facilities and a face-lift of infrastructure.
Concerned that on the 20th of November 2016, a strong windstorm substantially damaged parts of the Airport, including the arrival and departure lounges and the protective sheen of the buildings, with debris and wind-blown garbage littering the inside of the buildings thereby putting passengers, staff and other users of the airport in danger, especially when it rains as it often does.
Considering that the South-East is the last, among all the geo-political zones to have an international airport, this development is disheartening and it would not only expose users of the airport to harm, it would also discourage international airlines and interests from using the airport.
Worried that the current dilapidated state of the facilities and the infrastructure of the airport is a huge disincentive to the use of the airport, and endangers the lives of the people who use it, besides being a bad testament to the standard of infrastructure in Nigeria’s critical aviation sector.
ACCORDINGLY RESOLVES TO:
URGE the Federal Ministry of Aviation, and other relevant authorities, to, as a matter of urgency, repair the damaged parts and renovate the facilities of the AkanuIbiam International Airport and other airports in the Country requiring such attention to reduce the dangers of harm to which users of the airports are exposed.
We so move.