By Eshiorameh Sebastian, Abuja
The Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development has dismissed as “utterly baseless and untrue” media reports suggesting a long-term concession agreement has been reached for Enugu International Airport.
This was contained in a statement from the office of the Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, on Monday, stating that while concession proposals for five major airports are under consideration, no decisions have been finalised regarding duration or terms.
“The Ministry wishes to state categorically that these reports are unfounded and appear designed to create unnecessary disaffection in the ongoing process,” the statement read.
The Ministry confirmed that multiple proposals from prospective concessionaires – including varying concession periods – are currently undergoing rigorous evaluation. These will subsequently be reviewed by the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) before being presented to the Minister and ultimately the Federal Executive Council for approval.
“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.
“At this stage, prospective concessionaires have indeed submitted various proposals, including different durations for the concession. 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”, the statement clarified.
In a move to ensure transparency, Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo SAN had earlier mandated the inclusion of aviation labour unions in negotiation teams. The Ministry emphasised that the current administration is determined to avoid past mistakes in concession agreements.
“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.
“Please be assured that the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development is committed to a transparent process that adheres strictly to due process. With his training and track record, the Minister will not allow anything untoward to happen under his watch. He has so far 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 added.
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