Reps urge FAAN to reopen Kano airport for international flights

By Muhammad Muhammad

Leader of the House of Representatives, Alhassan Ado Doguwa on Sunday called on the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria to urgently address critical challenges impeding the resumption of international flight operation at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, MAKIA, Kano.

Doguwa who led members of the Kano/Jigawa joint caucus at the lower chamber on-sight inspection of Kano airport frown at the continue shut down of international flight from Kano.

Solacebase reports that the Federal government shut down international Airports across the country in March 2020 to curtail the spread of the dreaded COVID-19.

While domestic flight had since reopened across the country, only Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos and Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja have since September 2020 resumed International flights operation.

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The leader and member representing Doguwa/Tudunwada Federal constituency of Kano state said that the international flights’ suspension has crippled economic activities and rendered hundreds of breadwinners jobless in the region.

Doguwa who reminded of the strategic position of Kano international airport to Northern Nigeria insisted that FAAN has no compelling justification to render the ever-busy international terminal empty in the name of COVID-19.

While assuring the management of FAAN legislative support to overcome it’s peculiar operational challenges, the ranking lawmaker expressed confidence the Federal Government would not ignore the intervention of the national assembly on the immediate reopening of international flights at Kano airport.

” Our visit to Kano airport was in continuation to a similar visit to the Minister of Aviation on the reopening of an international flight in Kano airport. This airport alongside Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt were shut due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the need to enforce safety measures.

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” In September last year, the international gateway to Nigeria were reopened through Abuja and Lagos airports. Kano and other places remain shut. We see no reason why Kano should remain close several months after. Incidentally, Kano is not among the worse hit of the second wave. But based on our interaction with the minister, we understand somethings we need to be put in place.

” We hope this is resolved as soon as possible to ease Kano and Northern Nigeria of the huge economic loss. People have lost jobs, businesses collapse and people going on lesser hajj will end up incurring more cost to first fly to Lagos or Abuja before connecting international flight. This is not normal and we will do everything possible within the legislative powers to end this challenge soonest”. Doguwa noted.

President, Kano Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture KACCIMA, Alh. Dalhatu Abubakar lamented that commercial activities and foreign investment have been devastated in the last one year of the closure of international flight in Kano.

According to Dalhatu, investors recorded colossal loss running into billions of naira in the last 12 months, regretted several foreign airlines already established in Kano are relocating to Lagos and Abuja. He advocated urgent intervention to save foreign and local investments in Kano from total collapse.

Responding, Managing Director of FAAN, Captain Rabiu Yadudu revealed that the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic was primarily responsible for the prolonged closure of the international wing in Kano.

He pledged the readiness of the Federal government to lift the embargo placed on international flights in Kano sooner than expected.