…Says Concessionaires Proposals Are Currently Undergoing Evaluation
The Federal Government said that it has not fixed the duration the Enugu Airport will be concession for and that all the proposals submitted by interested concessionaires are currently undergoing evaluation.
The clarification is contained in a statement by the signed by the
Special Adviser on Media and Communications to the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development,Tunde Moshood and made available to journalists today.
The clarification became necessary following online reports that Enugu Airport has been concession for 80 years.
Moshood in the statement said the reports as utterly baseless and untrue.
He explained that whilst it is true that the Federal Government is considering proposals for the concession of five major airports, this is a proactive measure to ensure these vital facilities can meet and maintain international standards, given the increasing financial demands of their operations.
“Many of our airports are presently running at a loss, so they have to be subsidised each month by the Federal Government. It is noteworthy that this initiative to concession started from previous administrations,” he said.
He stated that at this stage, prospective concessionaires have indeed submitted various proposals, including different durations for the concession.
According to him, “It is important to emphasize that the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development has not established any fixed duration. All submitted proposals are currently undergoing thorough evaluation that will eventually be reviewed by the ICRC before it is presented to the Minister for conveyance to FEC for approval. We can confirm that this review process has not been concluded. However, for the sake of transparency, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo directed, some months ago that the Aviation Labour Unions be included as part of the negotiating teams. “
He insisted that the information suggesting a predetermined concession duration is false, unfounded, and intended to cause unwarranted disaffection and mistrust in this process by those with entrenched interests.
The statement assured that the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development is committed to a transparent process that adheres strictly to due process, adding that with his training and track record, the Minister will not allow anything untoward to happen under his watch.
The Minister, the statement said, so far has run the Ministry in a transparent manner and will not fall into the same mistake of the past.
“We will ensure that all decisions are made in the best interest of the nation and the aviation sector,” the statement reads
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