Indications have emerged that the ongoing upgrade of the runway at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja will continue after the expiration of the given six weeks for another 12 weeks, making total duration 18 weeks.
However, the additional 12 weeks will be done at nights while flight operations resumes on schedule.
In a statement made available to State House correspondents the second phase of the upgrade work would be done at night to avoid disruption of flight schedules.
It was not clear why such information came from the presidency instead of the Ministry of transport which had been giving out related information in the past.
The Abuja Airport which was shut down on March 8, 2017, is expected to be reopened on April 19.
The statement explained that “After the Abuja Airport reopens for operations on April 19, upgrade works on the runway will continue for another 18 weeks. This second phase of upgrade works on the runway will be carried out at night, with no disruption to flight schedules”.
The latest report submitted to the Presidency by a federal government’s committee overseeing the renovation showed that over 43,000 passengers passed through the Kaduna Airport in its first 11 days of operations as the alternative to the Abuja Airport.
More than the 41,000 passengers the Kaduna Airport recorded in the entire first quarter of 2015, and the 21,000 in the first quarter of 2016.
