Slow Pace Of Work At Calabar Aiport

From all indications, the rehabilitation work on the runway of the Margaret Ekpo International Airport in Calabar,Cross River State, Southsouth Nigeria, which started 7 May 2011 may not be completed on the scheduled date of 8 July.

The airport which was shut to air traffic since May for the rehabilitation of the dilapidated 2.5 kilometres runway by a local contractor and the job was supposed to be completed in two months, but dearth of equipment and other poor logistical arrangement by the contractor has left the work progressing at a very slow pace.

When P.M.NEWS visited the airport on Wednesday, it was discovered that only a tiny portion of the 2.5 kilometres runway has been tarred by the few workers on site.

“Each metre of work is subjected to several tests by the Ministry of Aviation Engineers to ensure the work meets international standard. So we have to ensure every step of the work is four metres high which is the standard,” an engineer with the contracting firm who prefers anonymity told P.M.NEWS.

The Project Manager of the contracting firm, Engineer Victor Ogobiri, said work on the runway was progressing as scheduled.

“As you can see, we are speeding work to meet the deadline as against rumours that work is slow”.

He declared further, “We have engineers from the supervisory ministry of aviation that are supervising daily what we are doing here and work is going on as scheduled. We are putting our best according to specifications and terms of agreement.”

When contacted, the Public Relations Officer of the Calabar Airport, Mrs. Iloanya Uju denied rumours that work has been suspended at the airport.

She said though the Airport Manager, Alhaji Mammud Sanni, was not around to comment on the issue, “you can see that work is on going according to schedule and that the company is on ground with its site right inside the airport.”

She, however, expressed the hope that if the rain is not heavy, work will certainly progress as planned and the firm might hand over the job on time.

The width of the airport is about 45 metres.

By Emmanuel Una/Calabar