SENATE QUERIES N63.5bn ABUJA AIRPORT CONTRACT

Senate queries N63.5bn Abuja airport contract The Senate on Wednesday rejected a prayer seeking the probe of public officers involved in the alleged inflation of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Second Runway contract to the tune of N63.5bn. But the upper chamber queried the upward review of the contract, describing it as an attempt to ‘steal and rape’ Nigerians of the country’s common patrimony, even as it agreed that the construction of second runway was a matter of urgency. The Senate, however, urged the Federal Government to ensure that due process and diligence were followed in the award of a fresh contract. The federal lawmakers made the resolutions while deliberating on a motion by Senator Dino Melaye, APC, Kogi West. The motion was titled, “The Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja, Second Runway- Contract.” An additional prayer specifically demanding severe punishment for those behind the inflation of the contract, moved by Senator Joshua Dariye (PDP, Plateau South), was unanimously rejected by the upper chamber. The Senate called on the Federal Government to drastically reduce what it termed as the unrealistic cost of the project and to monitor the contract award process. Melaye had noted that the contract for the construction of the Abuja Airport Second Runway was cancelled by the last administration after allegations of over inflation of contracts was established. He also said that the contract was awarded by the Federal Executive Council at the cost of N64bn after ratification by the Bureau for Public Procurement. He said the need for the construction of a second runway was because existing one was bad and inadequate. The Senate President, Bukola Saraki, in his remark, urged the government to put in motion necessary machinery to construct a better runway at the Abuja International Airport just as he said every process in awarding the contract must follow due process.