Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje has asked the Federal Government to re-open the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport, MAKIA, Kano, to permit the resumption of international flight operations.
The Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Abba Anwar disclosed this in a statement issued in Kano.
Ganduje made the appeal when he led a delegation of legislators, business, traditional and civic leaders to pay a courtesy visit to the Minister of Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika, in Abuja.
The governor said that the continued closure of the airport has caused untold hardship to international travelers from the North, as well as negatively impacted on the ease of doing business in Kano.
He said, “The closure of MAKIA has impacted negatively on the business environment in Kano, which is the commercial nerve center of Northern Nigeria and even some West African Countries.
“We appreciate President Muhammadu Buhari for the completion of the international wing of the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport because it will further facilitate commercial activities, and we fervently appeal for the resumption of international flight operations at the airport.”
The governor expressed concern over the effect of the continued suspension of international flights to and from the airport by passengers and service providers.
He said the Kano State government has provided the necessary facility for healthy flights, including mobilisation of the populace for the COVID-19 vaccinations.
Responding, the minister assured that his ministry was committed to reopening the Airport for international flight operations, adding that the ministry is suffering huge revenue loss as a result of the closure.
He said, “It does not make economic sense for the government to spend so much money, as it has done in the airport, and just decide to leave it dormant, with the attendant degeneration on infrastructure, staff redundancy, revenue losses and hardship to travellers, amongst others.”
He, however, told the delegation that the decision to suspend international flights to and from the airport, like the ones in Enugu and Port Harcourt, was for health and security reasons.
He pledged that everything that was necessary for the resumption of international flight operations at the airport would be fast-tracked to ensure that it resumes soon.