House of Representatives on Wednesday, called for the reopening of the international wings of Kano, Enugu, and Port Harcourt airports shutdown down in the peak of lockdown occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The call was a sequel to a motion by the majority leader of the House, Alhassan Ado Doguwa, the deputy minority leader, Toby Okechukwu, and 34 others.
Doguwa who moved the motion, noted that the closure of three out of the five International Airports in Nigeria namely: Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano, Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu and Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa, was among the drastic responses to COVID–19 Pandemic.
He expressed concern that “Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano has remained closed despite credence to the impact and importance of the Airport to Nigerians, foreigners and the economy as it serves 15 passenger airlines, which include Kabo Airline, Air peace, Aero Contractors, Max Air, etc. being local airlines and Egypt Air, Ethiopian Airlines, etc as International Airlines”.
According to him, “Airport is the hub of Muslim Pilgrimages in Northern Nigeria, alongside serving other exigencies like emergency medical evacuations and between 2010 and 2015, had a yearly average of 391,637 passengers flying the route for either business or pleasure”.
Doguwa decried job losses, jeopardizing investments in Information and Communications Technology, ICT, and meteorological equipment which the government may not be able to repair immediately.
The lawmaker added that the other two airports that were closed alongside the Kano airport, have resumed operations, hence its continued closure has brought untold economic and social hardships and loss of revenues generated by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN.
The House in response directed its Committee on Aviation to dialogue with the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika and agree on a timeline to reopen the affected airports.
