The Bola Ahmed Tinubu Ideological Group (BAT-IG) has welcomed the Senate’s intervention over disruptions to commercial flights caused by VIP movements, saying it validates its earlier call for dedicated runways for official flights at major Nigerian airports.
In a statement signed by its Convener, Comrade Bamidele Atoyebi, the group said it had previously urged the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development to expand runway capacity at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, and Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
The Senate, during its sitting on Tuesday, November 10, raised concerns over the safety risks of keeping commercial aircraft airborne while landing operations were suspended to accommodate VIP movements.
BAT-IG said it submitted proposals to the ministry before the Senate’s intervention, requesting additional runway capacity, including dedicated facilities for VIP and official government flights.
According to the group, it wrote to the aviation minister on November 4, seeking a review of runway capacity at the Abuja airport, an assessment of the feasibility of an additional runway for official movements and an implementation plan with clear timelines.
“At Bola Ahmed Tinubu Ideological Group, this is what we are good at: identifying policy gaps and proffering practical solutions to them.
“It is a good thing that the policy gaps we identify and the practical solutions we proffer are now being seen and discussed at the highest level. It gives us confidence that we are on the right track and doing the right thing.
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“This is an endorsement that we are not taking for granted,” the group said.
It said additional runway capacity was necessary to accommodate growing commercial, diplomatic and official air traffic, citing the development of Dubai’s Al Maktoum International Airport, planned to have five runways, as an example of long-term aviation infrastructure planning.
The group urged the Senate Committee on Aviation, the aviation ministry, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria to consider its proposals as part of efforts to improve aviation safety and operational efficiency.
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