The Senate on Wednesday kicked against the N64 billion contract for the construction of a second runway at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
The Senate, at its plenary
declared that the contract sum was “too high”.
In a three-point motion by Dino
Melaye (APC Kogi West), the Senate acknowledged the urgent need for a second
runway at the airport, but ruled that the contract sum was “too exorbitant’’.
The Senate urged the Federal
Government to ensure that due process and diligence is followed in the
design, award and procurement of the contract, while the cost should be “drastically
reduced’’.
“The Federal Government should
reduce this unrealistic cost and duly monitor the award process,’’ Mr. Melaye
said.
He said the proposed cost of the
runway far exceeded the cost of constructing some airports around the country
and even abroad.
He noted that the terminal 5 in
Heathrow Airport, with four lanes of 4km runway, cost less than N25 billion,
while the entire Gombe Airport, with 3.66km runways, cost N8.2 billion.
He said that the Jigawa Airport
cost N11 billion, Bauchi Airport, N12 billion, Enugu Airport, N13 billion,
while the Akwa Ibom Airport cost about N18 billion.
He, therefore, wondered why the
proposed construction of a mere runway at Abuja Airport would cost N64 billion.
Mr. Melaye recalled that the
contract had been cancelled earlier by the Jonathan administration over its
high cost, and urged President Muhammudu Buhari to similarly reject it.
The President of the Senate,
Bukola Saraki, in his remarks, acknowledged that the second runway was
necessary, but added that it could only be executed “at a reasonable price’’.
“It is important, but we cannot
continue with such reckless expenditure.
“We have to let all the MDAs know
that those days of recklessness are over and these kinds of figures will not be
accepted.
“`In fact, it is not just in
aviation, but in all other sectors of the economy,” he declared.
(NAN)
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