By Laide Akinboade
ABUJA—TO expand international air traffic at Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport in Abuja, NAIA, the Federal Government is set to construct a second runway.

Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah, stated this, yesterday, at the ministerial platform in commemoration of National Democracy Day 2012 and first anniversary of President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.

She said it was imperative for nation to construct a second runway in order to redefine aviation experience in Nigeria.

She said: “There is no going back on the contraction of a second runway for NAIA and aprons, taxi ways and airfield lighting for other airports. And independent power projects, IPP, for designated airports.

“The last one year has, therefore, ushered in tremendous achievements in the aviation sector. We have brought innovations that have redefined aviation experience in Nigeria.”

She noted that aviation was a platform for other sectors in the country, stressing there was no way any nation could develop without the development of the aviation sector. She said the remodeling and reconstruction of airport terminals would ensure the expansion of their capacities to meet passengers’ traffic.

Oduah said: “Under phase one, 11 airports have been remodeled and reconstructed. They are Kano, Kaduna, Jos, Enugu, Owerri, Benin, Calabar, Port Harcourt, Lagos and Abuja airports.

“Phase two of the re-modeling projects in the remaining airports has commenced. The airports are Maiduguri, Katsina, Sokoto, Akure, Ibadan, Bauchi, Ilorin, Lagos and Jalingo.”

Oduah, who noted that the ministry had commenced the process for development of four new international airports terminals in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Kano, said the ministry had enhanced internally generated revenue through automation of revenue collection processes.

She said the ministry had a projected revenue target of between N70 billion and N120 billion and a contribution of three per cent to the national GDP by the end of 2013.