Governor Nasir el-Rufai, of Kaduna state has declared his commitment to ensure smooth flight operations, as well as security in the Kaduna International Airport following the proposed diversion of flights to the airport from Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja.
el-Rufai, who made the commitment when the Minister of State of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, visited him in Kadun, commended the Federal Government for choosing Kaduna.
The minister was in the state to access the readiness of the airport to handle the expectedinflux of flight traffic if the Abuja airport is eventually shut down.
el-Rufai stressed that the state had set things in motion towards ensuringthe smooth flight operations.
“We are delighted about the choice of Kaduna International Airport by the Federal Government to divert traffic from Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, as a result of the proposed repairs of its runway to Kaduna airport.
“We have put in place activities towards making Federal Government decision a success.
“I want to assure Nigerians and the international community, particularly stakeholders in the aviation industry, that Kaduna State will rise up to the occasion, “the governor said.
He said that the state would provide adequate security and complete repairs on the Nnamdi Azikiwe Express way to ease traffic movement.
El-Rufai,who represented by the Speaker Kaduna State House of Assembly,Alhaji Aminu Shagali,also said stakeholders in the hospitality business are ready to tap from the opportunity the diversion of flights would bring to the state.
Earlier, the state minister of aviation,Hadi Sirika,expressed satisfaction with ongoing work at the Kaduna International Airport to ensure smooth flight operations.
He equally expressed optimism that work on the main terminal as well as the control tower would be completed by the end of February to meet the March 8 deadline.
“A lot of work has been done in the airport, but i decided to pay a visit to see things for myself before the Abuja airport is closed down, “ Sirika said.