Akwa Ibom Airport Risky, Contractor Raises Alarm
Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Introserve Technologies Limited, Chief Alex Nkennor has raised alarm over the state of some facilities at the Akwa Ibom State International Airport and the risk air passengers patronising the facility are expose to daily.
Introserve Technologies Limited is handling the installation, maintenance of security, information and communication infrastructure at Akwa Ibom International Airport near Uyo.
The contractor who is demanding the payment of more than N67.2 million owed to the company by the state government since 2014, expressed fears that, state government refusal to make payment for the completion of the remaining phase (logistics) under the contract could be disastrous to aircrafts and passengers travelling through the airport.
According to him, ‘‘Akwa Ibom State Government’s inaction or non-responsiveness to maintaining the installed ICT and security equipment tantamount to exposing the passengers and the general public to avoidable danger, and also damage to the goodwill and integrity of the contractor in the event of aircraft accident like a particular incident, where flight was diverted to Port-Harcourt airport’’.
Nkennor expressed pessimism that, the airport which is of international standard has no effective communication infrastructure due to the neglect of such facilities cannot be overemphasized.
He revealed that he had written to the Federal Ministry of Aviation and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Abuja to audit the standard of maintenance of facilities at the airport.
Nkennor gave a breakdown of the outstanding bills allegedly owed the company by the Akwa Ibom State government such as N8, 701,875.00 was money spent on extra services.
Others are; N38, 115,000 meant for internet/Wi-Fi services and building of cyber café, N13,757,420 and N6,663,023.04 for communication infrastructure said to have been shut down by the Internet Service Providers (ISP).
He disclosed that the contract was awarded to Introserve Technologies Limited by the state government through Alcon Nigeria Limited.
Attempt to speak to the Chairman of the Board, Ibom Airport Development Company (IDACL), Air Commodore Idongesit Nkanga (Rtd.) on the development was not successful as he could not be reach.
In his reaction, the Akwa Ibom State Information Commissioner, Mr. Charles Udoh dismissed the contractor’s claims as unfounded.
According to Udoh, there are no such facilities in the airport as claimed by the contractor.
Udoh insisted that ALCON awarded the contract and paid the contractor more than the work that was done; rather it is the contractor that is indebted to ALCON and the state government.
He disclosed that the contractor has taken the state government to court and government has filed its position on the matter.
By DENIS UDOMA
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