The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo, has refuted the reports that a lengthy period of concession has been agreed for the Enugu International Airport.
Keyamo, in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Tunde Moshood, described the claims as “utterly baseless and untrue”.
However, he acknowledged that the Federal Government (FG) is evaluating proposals for the concession of five major airports across the country.
“Our attention has been drawn to certain online report/stories suggesting that a certain lengthy period of concession has been agreed upon regarding the Enugu International Airport. These reports/stories are utterly baseless and untrue.
“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” the statement partly reads.
Keyamo revealed that at this stage, prospective concessionaires have indeed submitted various proposals, including different durations for the concession, reiterating that the Ministry has not established any fixed duration.
The Minister disclosed that all submitted proposals are currently undergoing thorough evaluation that will eventually be reviewed by the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) before it is presented to him for submission to Federal Executive Council (FEC) for approval.
The statement further noted: “We can confirm that this review process has not been concluded. However, for the sake of transparency, the Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo SAN directed, some months ago that the Aviation Labour Unions be included as part of the negotiating teams.
“Therefore, we must state unequivocally 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.”
He assured that the Ministry is committed to a transparent process that adheres strictly to due process, stressing that with his training and track record, he will not allow anything untoward to happen under his watch.
Minister Keyamo also said that he has so far run the Ministry in a transparent manner and will not repeat the mistakes of the past, adding that “we will ensure that all decisions are made in the best interest of the nation and the aviation sector.”
