Lawrence Olaoye 
The Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika has said the Federal Government has decided to activate the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) Act prohibiting “strikes and riots around our airports”. According to him, President Muhammadu Buhari has assented to the Act. He also said the Federal Government had approved N10.08 billion for the construction and rehabilitation of projects in the aviation sector.
The minister confirmed these to newsmen ahead of the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the Presidential Villa yesterday. According to him, N7.48 billion was approved for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the Hadejia airstrip in Jigawa State; N1.97 billion for the construction of the control tower/ technical building at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu and N625.50 million for the procurement of utility vehicles for the ministry.
Reacting to a recent strike by aviation workers in Lagos, which disrupted activities at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, the minister said: “First we apologise to them, our teeming passengers in this difficult moment. “Secondly, this will not happen in the future by the grace of God. And the reason is simple, aviation is an essential service.
The Act has been assented to by Mr. President, so strikes and riots around our airports are prohibited by the laws of the land. “And now that we have the Act in place and assented to by Mr President and passed by the National Assembly. So we will deal with it according to the law. We will ensure no essential service is being disrupted by anybody no matter how aggrieved. “There are other ways of channelling issues when they arise but they are not permitted to go on strike because aviation is an essential service and is by the law of the land now.
“I will give you an example; there was an airline that had to return to base because it couldn’t land. Imagine if there was a patient on that aircraft? Imagine somebody attending to a very serious issue or matter at hand or business or a student trying to catch an exam and then because of somebody who is aggrieved some other person will die.
“The government will no longer allow that. So it’s in the law of the land, check the FAAN Act, it’s been assented to and it’s going to take place soon, in fact now, from today we will not allow that.” Sirika said the contract for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the Hadejia airstrip was awarded to CCECCC with 18 months duration.
He said the construction of the control tower/ technical building at the Enugu airport was awarded to Messrs Mascot Associates Limited while the procurement contract for the supply of utility vehicles was awarded to Messrs Kaura Motors. Meanwhile, the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, who stood in for the Minister of Works and Housing, said the Council augmented the construction of Mayan- Nashungo-Lizellie-Ketayo- Oju Ajila road in Benue by N1.635 billion while it also augmented the solar power project powering the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing by N300 million bring the total cost of the project commenced in 2019 to N3 billion. The Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami said the Council approved the National Duct Policy; the National Child Online Protection and Strategy Policy as well as the Nigeria Data Protection Bill.
