Port Harcourt—key players in the aviation sector have raised concerns over the poor state of the Port Harcourt International Airport, Nigerian Tribune reports.
Speaking at a two-day industry engagement on the review of accident reports organized by the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) in Abuja recently, majority of stakeholders at the event, particularly pilots, raised concerns over the numerous laxity confronting the Airport.
Some of the pilots and other professionals listed the many trees surrounding the airport and the constant invasion of the Airport’s runway by herds of cows as few of the many deficiencies making it unsafe for flight operations in the airport.
They also lamented the unclear marking and lack of lights at the central runway of the airport.
Corroborating the positions of the pilots, a member of Aviation Round Table, Group Captain John Ojikutu wondered why the Port Harcourt airport had not been closed.
A pilot who spoke under the condition of anonymity to avoid being victimized, while questioning the competence of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), added that the Airport is not flight worthy.
“When last did the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) conduct an audit on the airport in question? Port Harcourt airport is a no-go area for flights.
“It’s an airport surrounded by trees, cows sitting on the threshold of the airport runway at 3 am with no light at the airport runway. I don’t know why the airport is still not closed,” he said.
Participants at the event unanimously agreed that the NCAA and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) are to be held responsible if the airport keeps operating despite not being certified to do so.
They called on government through the relevant aviation agencies to urgently look into the lapses to preclude avoidable disaster.
Reacting to the non-certification of the Port Harcourt airport, the general manager of Airworthiness and Standards at the NCAA, Mr. Godwin Balang said the issue of certification is not peculiar to Nigeria, saying efforts were ongoing to tackle the challenges.
Balang said situations at the airport were not that bad, adding that foreign airlines are still operating in the airport.
