FG Builds Largest Hajj Terminal At Sokoto Airport

 

THE Federal Government has commenced the construction of the largest Hajj terminal at Sokoto Airport.
Also, this is coming even as the government said the Yola airport terminal under construction when completed, would have the capacity to accommodate 1,000,000 passengers annually.
The Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah, who made the declaration after inspecting the two airports, also directed the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), to put the Yola airport facility to use.
She assured Nigerians that more terminals would be built, adding that her joy was that the Federal Government was able to complete Sokoto terminal within a very short period of time.
She added that the idea behind the reconstruction of the airport terminals was to reposition Nigeria’s aviation.
“We want to say to Nigerians that in aviation, there is more of this to come and we are not just focusing on the terminals, we are also focusing on ensuring that Nigeria’s aviation industry is repositioned. We are ensuring that we have aviation that we deserve and in doing so, we have the frontier ones, which you see like the terminals but there are many more that you do not see and that is the safety facilities and infrastructure, the power, the runway, the fencing and we are almost completing the fencing of this terminal.

 There are so many things that are going on simultaneously and this administration has graciously main streamed aviation in order to ensure that we remain pivotal in social and economic growth in our dear country”.
On the challenges encountered, she said that though there were challenges but that they were been tackled, adding that presently the focus was on Sokoto airport.
According to her, “We are tackling all the challenges, there are numerous challenges but today we are focusing on Sokoto airport. We are focusing on ensuring that we are able to construct the hajj terminal within a very short time. If you look at 40 metres from here, you will see what we are doing. We are going to have the largest hajj terminal in Nigeria situated in Sokoto airport, that is what this administration is doing.
Also speaking during the inspection,
the Managing Director of FAAN, Mr George Uriesi, said that the Sokoto airport terminal had been completed, adding that it had the capacity for carrying 400,000 yearly from the present 45,000 to 50,000.
“We have completed the airport terminals, the remaining thing is to put the furniture inside it and it will start functioning. The airport has capacity for carrying about 400,000 passengers per annum as a smaller facility because right now, Sokoto airport is about 45,000 to 50,000 in a year. I think that we have another eight to 10 years before we expand this terminal but the real capacity is the hajj terminal, which they are just laying the foundation for. It is going to be the largest hajj terminal in the country and the most modern one when it is finished. We are trying to expedite that and I assure you it is going to be the largest terminal so far”, he added.

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