By Stanley Onyekwere
To facilitate the construction of the second runway for the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barrister Nyesom Wike, has intervened and resolved the lingering debacle over compensation and settlement of the indigenes who were affected by the planned project, hitherto due for completion since July 2023.
To this end, Wike announced that the FCT through the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) will release the total value of N825, 819,000 approved for compensation and settlement of those who are currently occupying part of the 12,000 hectares land secured for the aerotropolis project in the nation’s capital.
He spoke yesterday, at the end of a stakeholders’ meeting comprising of community leaders from Jiwa community, security heads, representatives of the contractor, in charge of the project, China Engineering Construction Corporation Nigeria Limited (CCECC).
He added that as part of the incentives package for the community, there would be 12 immediate employment from the Ministry of Aviation and its agencies as the case maybe, and 10 from the FCT Administration to Jiwa indigenes.
According to him, they are going to construct Tunga Madaki Bridge, which will put in the 2024 budget, with a 5km road as we as provide a modern healthcare facility for the community.
She said: “We have been able to resolve amicably with the community, and contractors will now move to site. The FCT through the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) will release the money approved for compensation and settlement of those who are there.
“The permanent secretaries from the ministry of Aviation and that of the FCTA, His Royal Highness ( the Sarkin Jiwa), AMAC Chairman, and the Commissioner, Public Complaint Commission (FCT) will sign the agreement reached between government and Jiwa Community, and if that is done today, by tomorrow or next, the moment the money gets to them, the contractors will no longer delay, as they have to move to the site immediately and commence work, so the second runway has come to stay.”
Similarly, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo said the ministry erred in the past by dabbling into issues outside its remit.
According to him, the timeline to commission the second runway was sometime in June or July 2023 and we have not even mobilized to site by now.
Earlier, the raditional Ruler of the area, the Sarkin Jiwa, Alhaji Idris Musa had explained the frustration of his people, saying he has for months had sleepless nights because of the back and forth in respect of compensation.
Recall that the Federal Executive Council FEC had in March 2022 approved the second runway, with the project broken into four components. The project was also meant for commissioning by June of 2023.
Also, the aerotropolis project includes a second runway for Abuja Airport, Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility, Aviation Leasing Company (ALC), agro-allied cargo terminals, a national carrier and Africa Aerospace and Aviation University (AAAU), among others.
