Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has refuted claims that the Federal Government has approved a long-term concession deal for Enugu International Airport.
In a statement issued on Monday, April 21, by his Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Tunde Moshood, Keyamo described the media report as “utterly baseless and untrue.”
According to the minister, although proposals for airport concessions have been received from interested firms, no final decision or duration has been agreed upon.
“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,” the statement said.
“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 under previous administrations,” it added.
The ministry explained that proposals are still under review and will undergo further scrutiny by the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) before any recommendation is made to the Federal Executive Council.
“At this stage, prospective concessionaires have indeed submitted various proposals, including different durations for the concessions. It is important to emphasise that the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development has not established any fixed duration,” Moshood stated.
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“All submitted proposals are currently undergoing thorough evaluation and will eventually be reviewed by the ICRC before being presented to the Minister for onward conveyance to FEC for approval. 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,” the statement read.
It further dismissed any suggestion of a predetermined concession duration as “false, unfounded, and intended to cause unwarranted disaffection and mistrust in this process by those with entrenched interests.”
Keyamo’s clarification follows renewed attention on Enugu Airport, which was shut down by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria after Air Peace suspended flights due to infrastructural challenges.
While aviation unions have raised concerns about transparency in the ongoing concession plans, Moshood reaffirmed the minister’s commitment to accountability.
“With his training and track record, the Minister will not allow anything untoward to happen under his watch,” he said.
“He has so far run the Ministry in a transparent manner and will not fall into the same mistakes of the past. We will ensure that all decisions are made in the best interests of the nation and the aviation sector.”