Oduah gives contractor handling Jos airport remodeling ultimatum

The Minister of Aviation, Mrs Stella Oduah, has directed the contractor handling the remodeling of Jos cargo airport to complete the project in 30 days or face “severe consequences''.

Oduah gave the directive on Monday in Jos while inspecting the project.

She said the contract, which was awarded to Waland Services Ltd, had “dragged for too long'', and declared there was no more time to waste on the project.

'The project is in line with the design of the airport but we are not happy with the pace of the work,' she stated.

She noted that aside from ceiling, painting and fittings, much of the work on the project had been completed and stressed that there was no need for further delays in the completion.

Oduah, however, expressed satisfaction with the quality of work on the job and urged the contractors to maintain the standard.

She said that when fully operational, the cargo terminal at the airport would boost economic and agricultural activities in Plateau.

'The value chain that will emanate from the terminal is immeasurable. You are going to have new world class commodities coming out of different rural areas.

'We are also going to have connectivity that is commercial-based and you are going to have a bottom-up growth in the economy of the state,' she added.

The minister debunked reports that the State Security Service (SSS) officials attached to the airport had been withdrawn.

'It is not true that the SSS officials have been withdrawn from the airport; we need them in our terminals; they are there and will remain there,' she said.