Delta State House of Assembly has approved a loan facility
of N5.021 billion for the upgrading of the Asaba International Airport, which
was downgraded by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) on account of
alleged lapses in the runway and taxiways.
A request dated Tuesday, September 8, 2015 was forwarded to
the state legislature by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa for guarantee of the facility
for ULO Consultants Limited, the contracting firm handling rehabilitation work
at the Asaba Airport.
The construction firm was pre-qualified by the Nigerian
aviation authority to undertake the airport rehabilitation work, said the
letter read at the house's plenary by Hon Monday Igbuya.
Okowa noted in the letter that the downgrading meant that
large aircraft like the 'Boeing 737' were barred from the Asaba Airport, though
smaller aircraft like the D8 and Jets of maximum take-off weight of 25 metric
tons were authorised by the NCAA to operate at the airport.
He said that the downgrading prompted the setting up of a
"Ministerial Task Force on Safety
Gap Analysis Review and Audit of Asaba Airport", which subsequently
assessed and identified all safety gaps in the airport to ensure proper rejig
rehabilitation and upgrading.
After series of meetings, a remedial work plan was drawn up
and ULO Consultants Limited was pre-qualified by the Nigerian Civil Aviation
Authority as the company was involved in the initial construction of the
airport, the governor revealed.
A loan of N5.021bn would, therefore, be guaranteed for the
construction firm following the approval of the governor's request by state
lawmakers.
The governor in the letter informed the house that owing to
the failure of the runway and taxiways at the Asaba International Airport, the
Airport was downgraded by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA.
The Uduaghan administration awarded the contract to ULO
Consultants at the cost of N5.021 billion with a 50% advance payment, amounting
to N2,510.6 billion.
"In order to expedite the completion of the project,
the contractor presented a proposal for the state government's assistance in
obtaining a (loan) facility for the execution of the project which was approved
and ratified by the state executive council", Okowa stated.
The loan would be used for rehabilitating the runway and
taxiways of the airport into which the sum of N200 million shall be paid
monthly for twenty-five months totaling N5 billion.
In another development, the Speaker of the Delta State House
of Assembly, Hon Monday Igbuya, has denied allegation making the rounds that
the 23 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members in the House contributed a sum of
N5million each with intention to compromise the panel of judges and receive a
favorable judgment against opposition petitioners at the election tribunal.
The rebuttal was contained in a statement by the Chief Press
Secretary to Speaker Igbuya, Mr Henry Ovie Obireri, and made available to
THISDAY in Asaba on Friday.
"The Delta State House of Assembly Speaker is an honest
and highly effective speaker. He has built a reputation anchored on integrity
over the years", Obireri noted, saying, "The Speaker will not
mortgage the country’s democracy.
While appealing to journalists to guide against being used
by those he called "police office and money seeking politicians", he
accused some members of the opposition of "putting personal interest above
those of the people and the state."
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