Iwuanyanwu urges FG not to close Abuja airport

Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, a businessman and member of the Board of Trustees (BOT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has urged the Federal Government to rescind its decision to shut down the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, pointing out the inevitable economic, political and social implications inherent in the action.

New Telegraph reports that he recommended that government should go beyond just repairing the existing runway, and commence construction of an alternative runway at the airport.

Iwuanyanwu, who spoke to newsmen in Owerri on the proposed six week’s closure of the Airport, warned that the closure would inevitably attract international and national repercussions and therefore requires proper study and analysis before a final decision is made.

He stressed that all businesses around the Airport would also be closed, during the construction period adding that it definitely will compound the unemployment situation in the country.

He noted that most nations of the world hardly consider closure of an existing international airport as an option under any circumstance especially when the nearest alternative airport is about two hours from the federal capital.

Iwuanyanwu further expressed misgiving that most foreigners would feel reluctant to travel the long distance from Kaduna to Abuja, stressing that the provision of security for such would be difficult for the nation’s police and other security agencies which are already overstretched.

Source: New Telegraph