The minister of aviation and aerospace development, has revealed systemic construction failures as the force behind the chronic runway problems plaguing Akanu Ibiam International Airport, as aviation authorities scramble to implement emergency repairs. Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo dropped the bombshell disclosure hours after the Federal Airports Authority announced a two-week closure of the critical southeastern air hub, exposing how a 2019 rehabilitation contract failed to address fundamental drainage flaws.
“Waterlogged sections were improperly constructed despite a year-long shutdown and massive investment,” Keyamo stated in a social media post, his frustration palpable. The minister confirmed personally inspecting the deteriorating tarmac months earlier, finding the contractor’s work dangerously substandard. What began as surface cracks have now escalated into hazardous craters, forcing the latest emergency intervention barely five years after the N10 billion renovation project.
Industry insiders whisper about possible contractor negligence during the 2019-2020 rehabilitation supervised by the previous administration. The current repairs mark at least the third major disruption since the airport’s much-publicized reopening, with airlines like Air Peace recently suspending operations over safety concerns. Keyamo’s revelation suggests the root causes run deeper than routine wear-and-tear, potentially implicating compromised engineering standards in the original reconstruction.
As flights divert to Asaba and Owerri airports during the April 22-May 6 closure, the minister has pledged relentless oversight to meet deadlines. However, aviation experts warn these patch repairs may only provide temporary relief without comprehensive geotechnical solutions to the underlying water saturation issues.
