Asaba Airport Downgraded; Not Safe, Secure FG Declares

Front of the main terminal building at Asaba Airport (Image source: naijagraphitti imagebank)

The safety and security of air travellers using the Asaba Airport in Delta State cannot be guaranteed anymore, the Federal Government has said.

As a result, the government on Tuesday downgraded the facility from being used for commercial flight operations.

GRAPHITTI NEWS reports:

Consequent upon failures by the management of Asaba Airport to measure up to the safety and security standard required of all operating airports, the Federal Government has downgraded the Asaba Airport.

Speaking over the recent downgrading, Assistant Director, Press & Public Affairs James Odaudu, speaking for and on behalf of Minister for Aviation, Osita Chidoka, said in a statement that “With the downgrading which takes immediate effect, the airport would now be allowed to accommodate the operation  of only Dash 8-Q 400 aircraft or its equivalent until all the safety issues are addressed.

Mr. Odaudu noted that “the Federal Government, through the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), had raised several safety concerns over undulations on the airport’s runway, lack of the required strip, perimeter fencing, drainage, as well as lack of adequately trained technical personnel.

He, however, was disappointed that all assurances by the operators of the airport have proved to be mere and empty promises as nothing had been done to assuage their fears.

He said: “It has therefore become a matter of serious concern that despite a series of meetings with, and assurances given by the operators of the airport, the Delta State government, no concrete steps have been taken to address the issues which are capable of compromising the safety of flight operations and, of course, the passengers.

 “The Federal Government has also drawn the attention of the owners of the airport to the fact that it has, through its inability to address the issues, violated the Compliance with Safety Standards as stipulated in the Nig. CARs Part 12.6.2 and 12.6.3 in respect of the airport runway and its associated facilities as well as adequately trained personnel.”

He therefore stated categorically that, “the downgrading has been carried out in the public interest because the Federal Government places very high premium on the safety and security of aviation passengers and would never compromise set standards for whatever reason.”

The federal government gave assurances that Asaba Airport will be restored to its status as soon as it meets up to all security and safety requirements.

Asaba Airport is an airport serving Asaba, the capital of Delta State of Nigeria. It is also the closest airport to Onitsha, the largest city in Anambra State which is located across the River Niger from Asaba. The airport is still not fully completed, but there are skeletal flights being operated. The Delta State government has not provided the completion schedule.

The Asaba Airport project was initially conceived with the aim of providing a safe, fast and reliable means of transportation network linking the Asaba, the capital of Delta State to other centers of political and economic activities within and outside the country.

?In three short years, the ultra-modern Airport has lived up to and even surpassed its billing by being the most convenient and reliable channel for travelers who had previously been forced to commute to Enugu or Owerri to access Asaba, Nnewi, Onitsha, Oraukwu, Awka, Abagana, and other similar locations by air.

The maiden non-commercial flight to the airport took place on 24th March, 2011; while its first commercial flight took place on 18th July, 2011 with passengers from Abuja landing at exactly 12.17pm. The aircraft, a 48-seater Overland Airlines jet with registration number 5N-BND, arrived at the airport with 20 passengers on board including Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan.

The maiden flight was received in Asaba by the Deputy Governor, Prof. Amos Utuama and other top government officials and excited onlookers who thronged the airport to witness the flight.

Having currently serviced over 20,000 passengers since its commissioning, the N29bn pet project of Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, has been widely applauded by the majority of Deltans and Nigerians in general.

The Airport has an ultra-modern departure and arrival wing, an international wing. A runway that meets international standard and a modern carousel has just been installed.