Death trap at Benin airport as pilots raise alarm over dangerous runways
In spite of clarion calls by pilots for immediate closure of some identified airports in Nigeria over dangerous runways which posed death trap to the users, the management of Benin airport has remained adamant and kept silence.
At a recent protest by pilots calling for the closure of Benin and Enugu airports due to the bad state of the runways, the development has raised safety concern among air travellers at the airport who have resorted to alternative routes and drop in revenue.
Aircraft pilots had on Wednesday called on the aviation authorities to shut the Enugu and Benin airports for comprehensive repair of their runways, while describing the facilities as pathetic.
At a stakeholders’ forum organised by the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) in Lagos, one of the pilots, Captain Chris Najomo, said that government must quickly address the problem for the safety of air travellers.
He said the runways are accidents in waiting to happen, therefore called for the closure of the airports to fix the facility critical to safe landings and take-offs.
He stated: “The runway in Benin Airport is pathetic, dangerous, an accident in waiting. Please, let them do something about the Benin Airport; you can close it and resurface it.
“The second taxiway at the Lagos airport that had been shut for over 10 years should be given attention. There are potholes on the taxiway in Lagos, it is becoming more dangerous, so, government needs to do something about it.”
In the face of the mounting evidence, an official of the Benin airport, identified himself as Oluwole, declined interview with newsmen at the weekend due to privacy and safety concern bothering on navigation equipment.
The Benin airport manager, Mr. Olatokunbo Arewa, and the Head of Corporate Affairs were not on seat as at the time newsmen called. But, investigation revealed that businesses around the airport were at a low ebb.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Aviation, Alhaji Sabiu Zakari, has assured that once investigation carried out, whatever needs to be done would be done, whether there was budgetary allocation or not.
“Once we carry out technical investigation, what needs to be done will be done, whether or not there was budgetary allocation, just like we did for Abuja airport,” he said.
Similarly, South-East governors had earlier called for emergency repair of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu.
