Home/News/Interview/Aviation/We Have Spent Over 10bn On Ibom International Airport MRO

We Have Spent Over 10bn On Ibom International Airport MRO

- Austin Mbeh,Commissioner for Special Duties, Akwa Ibom State

The Akwa Ibom State Commissioner For Special Duties, Austin Mbeh recently in an interview with nigeriannewsonnet revealed some of the efforts of the state government under the leadership of governor Godswill Akpabio on the developments at the Ibom International Airport, Uyo. Apart from the huge amount of money so far committed to the building of a Maintainance, Repairs and Overhaul (MRO) Hangar by the state government , the commissioner gave a cheering news that the project would be completed next year. According to him, "His Excellency has thought it wise that by the time we complete this project next year and a new internationally accepted operator is appointed, most of the problems associated with Nigeria and its neighbours taking their aircraft outside the shores of Nigeria will be properly addressed."

Sir, what is the MRO project all about?

 The MRO maintenance facility of the Ibom International Airport, is a special project envisaged and embarked upon by the executive governor of Akwa Ibom. In a nutshell, this happens to be a special facility established to address the issue of Maintenance, Repairs and Overhaul that have been challenging aircraft operating within the shores of Nigeria and indeed the West African sub region. His Excellency has thought it wise that by the time we complete this project next year and a new internationally accepted operator appointed, most of the problems associated with Nigeria and its neighbours taking their aircraft outside the shores of Nigeria will be properly addressed. So, this is one of the perspectives that also complement the smooth running of the airport. When it becomes operational, it is the vision of the governor that this one will operate quite independent of the airport system. In the addition to this, we are hoping that the cargo wing of the airport will also be established. That one will not gulp so much. The cargo terminal will take care of most of the international luggage that will be coming in.

Gov. Akpabio

 

What stage are you with the MRO?

 Assessing it by way of percentage we can say as at last time was 70 per cent completed.

 

What are the challenges?

Some of the challenges we were facing was predicated upon weather, but right now, we are coping very well like most of the door installations were hampered by a lot of welding but right now, we are not having any challenge. The contractors are at site and they are working.

 

On FG partnership with the state on the MRO facility. How much is the govt committing to the successful completion of the project and how much has been expended so far?

 In order to actualize the intention of the governor by wanting the Federal Government to take over or invariably allow the state government to partner with the state government for the smooth execution of the project; recently, we did apply to the FG and the Senate Committee on Aviation also paid an inspection visit and they have gone through the facilities at the airport with a particular reference to the MRO and we were given the assurance that the Federal Government would be talked into adopting the project. During one of the recent visits of Mr President to Akwa Ibom State, he announced to the world that the Federal Government would come in and partner with the state government. When you talk of funding, the state government having being committed to it, has really expended some reasonable amount of money on the project. For now, we can say that we have expended more than N10 billion. I Can say part of the challenges that we are having is funding but on this aspect, his Excellency is also making serious arrangement to make sure that the funding of the project does not suffer because, there has been a timeline set for this project to be completed. If the consensus reached between the government and the handling contractors comes to fruition, we are hoping that by the first quarter of next year, this project should be inaugurated and become operational. The peculiar nature of international airport building is unique; unique in the sense that what you notice there is, going by the design and the concept of it, the only aspect that tend to have some delay in implementation or execution is the foundation stage. Our last visit to Rome, that produce the structures, the aluminium panels, all those ones have been pre-fabricated and kept abroad. From the assurance they gave us, as soon as the foundation comes up, the remaining aspect is just fixture and fittings. It is not something that will involve laying of blocks. Most of the irons have been inspected and by now, they should have been fully fabricated.

 

How much do you think airlines and the country can save annually by doing their checks here and what is the projection in terms of revenue?

You will agree with me that maintenance and repairs of aircraft takes greater chunk of our foreign exchange. Since most of the MROs we repair our aircraft overseas are privately owned, it is not possible for us to say categorically that these are the prescribed fees charged for one check or the other, but it is generally believed that as soon as this MRO becomes operational, most of the foreign component of our  currency that go out of Nigeria would now be reinvested into other sectors of the economy, but frankly speaking, since it is going to be highly capital intensive, it is going to generate a lot of revenue in naira component. We are hoping that by the benevolence of the Federal Government, the project will be completed next year. It would also serve as additional aspect of foreign income earner to Nigeria.

 

At full capacity, how many aircraft can this hangar take for aircraft maintenance at once?

Conveniently, this hangar can be used to maintain at the same time two large aircraft. If you have private jets, you can put many of them and this hangar will give revenue to the state government. Every single aircraft must always be maintained. This hangar at full capacity will do A to D checks. We are now inviting international MRO operators to come in and run, manage it independent of government interference.