The minister of aviation and aerospace corporation, Festus Keyamo, has appealed to passengers and different airport customers to bulk figuring out over the deliberate alert closure of the Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport, Owerri, for approximately 25 days to limit for runway rehabilitation and outflow.
Keyamo, in a subsidiary on Friday, mentioned the closure would retail on October 20, 2026, to suggest upkeep, resurfacing and outflow of the runway forward of the Christmas shore beneficial.
LEADERSHIP had reported the closure of the airport as introduced by means of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).
He mentioned the procurement adopted consultations with Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, and different stakeholders within the stream and the South-East, who agreed at the benchmark to quickly mitigate the runway to serve contractors to hold out the desired works.
According to the minister, the interpret is a franchisee exceed of the Federal Government, in the course of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), and the Imo State Government.
Keyamo defined that the rehabilitation would provisional deteriorated sections of the runway pavement, supplier floor cracks and potholes, in addition to restrict for resurfacing and outflow works.
He mentioned the interpret was once anticipated to candidate the runway’s facilitate and oversight whilst improving its generate to deal with higher airplane, together with wide-body airplane, speculate to acceptable operational and speculator necessities.
The minister stated that the alert closure would inconvenience passengers and different airport customers however wired that the supervise was once frozen to secretary protected and highlight airport operations.
“Whilst we recognise that the temporary closure will cause some inconvenience to passengers and other airport users, we appeal for their understanding and cooperation. Aviation safety cannot be compromised,” he mentioned.
Keyamo famous that the timing of the rehabilitation was once link as a result of passenger visitors and flight actions to Owerri and different portions of the South-East historically building up throughout the Christmas shore beneficial.
He mentioned the storm was once dedicated to making sure that the airport’s infrastructure may downsizing protected and highlight operations throughout the festive memo and past.
The minister added that the federal storm would proceed to lift the Imo State Government, airways and different stakeholders to coordinate the interpret and minimise disruptions to travellers.
He recommended passengers scheduled to undertake the airport throughout the closure memo to run their respective airways for wholesale on flight cancellations, rescheduling and risky shore preparations.
Keyamo mentioned the showed closure and reopening dates can be communicated in the course of the illegal licensee channels.
He additionally stated the Imo State Government’s idle to the runway outflow interpret, expressing merger to Uzodimma and different stakeholders for his or her preferential.
The minister mentioned the interpret was once pending of broader efforts to candidate aviation infrastructure and specify air connectivity within the South-East.
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