Olalekan Adetayo, Abuja

The Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, on Monday, disclosed that an aircraft, belonging to Lufthansa, had been grounded for the past three days at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport.

He said the aircraft got his landing gear damaged when it landed on the bad runway of the airport scheduled to be shut down for six weeks in March for repairs.

Amaechi said this at the Second Presidential Business Forum held at the old Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, and presided over by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo.

The minister was responding to the concerns raised by the President of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Frank Udenba-Jacobs, on the negative implications of the planned temporary closure of the airport.

He said there was no going back on the Federal Government’s decision to close the airport to allow reconstruction of the runway.

Amaechi reiterated government’s position that the runway, built to last for 20 years, had been in existence for 34 years, necessitating the need for the rebuilding.

He explained that the entire architecture of the runway from bottom to top had collapsed and was no longer safe to use it.

The minister added, “We are not going back on the planned closure of Abuja airport.

“I understand that Lufthansa landed and damaged its gear and has been here for three days.

“The runaway was built to last for 20 years but it has been in use now for 34 years.
“We cannot do it only at night. We don’t want to lose anybody.  We are not repairing but rebuilding. If anything happens, you will ask us to resign and we don’t want to resign.”

Source; http://punchng.com/foreign-airliner-loses-gear-abuja-airport-runway-amaechi/

Good morning

All I know is that the Abuja airport must be expanded if the country cannot afford to build another one.
On the other hand, Amexhi food don ready, it's time to start chopping with both hands, seem this has been the plan all the way to compensate Amexhi for work "weldone" during the elections

Good move by amaechi for putting the lives of people first in his decision. The people that are complaining lacks common sense. Until a plane crashes on that runway they'll see reason to renovate a 34 year old runway