fund stalls projects at MMIA, PHIA

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Aviation, Mrs Binta Bello, said shortage of funds is stalling modernisation projects at Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, and Port-Harcourt International Airport (PHIA) in Rivers State. Bello said this while speaking yesterday in Lagos when she embarked on an inspection tour of some ongoing projects at the Lagos Airport.



The Federal Government in September 2013 began the construction of the facility at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos. Also, Abuja, Port-Harcourt, Kano and Enugu were included in the building of five state of the art terminals.
The China’s Exim Bank and Chinese Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC) funded the projects and handled the construction at the cost of $500 million and the construction completed in 20 months.
Bello, however, assured the contractors and the public that the projects going on at the two airports presently, will be completed upon release of funds by the Federal Ministry of Finance.
She said that with availability of funds the contractors would deliver the projects before the Buhari administration marks its first 100 days in office.
She explained that her visit to the airport was to enable her see the stages of completion in relation to money spent on them, so far. Bello expressed satisfaction with the progress of work on the new terminals, saying that the ministry is determined to improve the existing infrastructure at the airports.
She noted that work at the power house of the Lagos Airport was suspended owing to lack of funds to pay the contractor handling the project.