By Ime Akpan
Lagos
National Conference Committee on Transport has condemned the ministry of aviation for its failure to continue with the airport terminal projects and cargo terminal facilities located at the various airports in the country.
Speaking in Abuja, chairman of the committee, Senator Musa Adede, said that following a meeting with the permanent secretary in the ministry, Dr. Jamila Shu’ara and other senior staff, it was obvious that “there is lack of coordination and synergy to carry on with the ongoing projects at the airports.”
He said there must be coordination from the ministry which, according to him, “is now under the management of permanent secretary as the chief financial officer.”
He said work at some of the projects had been slowed down while at the others work had stopped, except the ones at the five international terminals built by Chinese Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC) in Lagos, Abuja, Kano, Port Harcourt and Enugu.
It would be recalled that last Tuesday the committee invited the ministry of aviation, aviation agencies to appear before it where the chief executive of Aerotropolis Nigeria, Dr. Daniel Tarka made a presentation at the session.
An official of the ministry who attended the meeting spoke anonymously saying: “It was obvious from the comments of the committee members that there seems to be a general lack of cohesion in the operations of the ministry and its agencies.”
At the end of the interactive session, members of the committee told the permanent secretary that for the full benefits of the Aviation Master Plan to be realised, a proper policy and regulatory framework has to be adhered to, particularly if private sector- driven programmes like the aerotropolis development and fresh produce schemes must work.”
The source also said the committee remarked that work on the projects may not be completed and that should they be abandoned the airports would be worse than they were before the rehabilitation work started.
It would also be recalled that Shu’ara was alleged to have refused to release funds meant for the projects, a charge the ministry’s spokesman, Mr. Ojeme Hastings described as “untrue.” Meanwhile, the coordinating spokesman for aviation agencies, Mr. Yakubu Dati blamed the seeming lull in the execution of projects in some airports to the late passage of the 2014 budget.