Stella Oduah's Shady Deals At Enugu International Airport Exposed

Former Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah has been accused of making a mockery of the Aviation Ministry by leaving the Aviation Ministry in very poor standing while in office



The stench of contractual fraud left behind by Senator Stella Oduah during her tenure as Minister of Aviation remains unceasing. Oduah, whose time as a minister under the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan was headlined by the dodgy contract of two bullet-proof BMW cars for her use, was elected senator in the last general elections.

 
The latest installment of controversy of her legacy as a minister is coming from the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, which was closed down for over two years to allow for its upgrade into a real international airport. To this end, a  contract was awarded at the cost of N86billion.‎   
                                                                                                                       
The airport runway, built in the 70s,  stretches over a distance of 2.6km ‎, which was to be extended to 3.6km to meet the global international runway standards.The old 2.6km runway was pot-hole ridden, making it risky for landing. 
 
Palliative measures were occasionally carried out on the runway at night to arrest further deterioration of the runway, but they did not eliminate the risk.
 
The contractor’s brief was to scrape off the original  2.6km runway that and construct an entirely new one. However,  what was done the dressing of its surface and the addition of a new one-kilometer stretch to make it 3.6km. But even the new one was shoddily built, making it unable to meet the standard specifications for runway construction. 
 
Sources revealed to this medium that no soil analysis was conducted before construction.  ‎This has been blamed for the regular flooding when the rains come.
 
Being the only one runway at the airport, not more than one plane can land or take off at the same time. The runway, as it is,  cannot accommodate bigger planes like Boeing 747 and 777, a situation that makes the airport less than a lucrative destination for airlines. The airport is made more unappealing regarding profit by the absence of cargo warehouse facilities.
 
And currently, despite the vast amounts expended, ‎there is no perimeter fencing around the runway. A case of a loiterer blocking a plane from taking off was reported late last year.
 
Also, ‎the airport does not have Instrument Landing Systems, ILS. It has an improvised solar lighting on the runway; the airport authorities said works for between two to three hours daily. Ideally, it should work all day.‎ Similarly unavailable are CCTV cameras. The shuttle bus service for passengers has been discontinued by the Federal Aviation Authority (FAAN). As a result, passengers are left to trek to the aircraft even when it is raining.
 
The decrepit situation at the airport has led to the decision of Lufthansa and Emirates airlines to defer the commencement of their o‎pe rations on that route.‎ Moreover, the runway represents a clear and present danger to flight safety.

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Posted: at 26-03-2016 02:57 PM (8 years ago) | Addicted Hero

What a shame.  Even woman.

Posted: at 26-03-2016 03:40 PM (8 years ago) | Gistmaniac

Thief

Posted: at 26-03-2016 03:48 PM (8 years ago) | Newbie

Who we go even trust for this Naija,even women wey de office dey even do worst or does it mea there is no one good person in Nigeria top and low offices?

Posted: at 26-03-2016 04:06 PM (8 years ago) | Gistmaniac

Women ought 2 b virtuous in wat eva dey do...n dey r fightin 4 gender equality...hmmmm

Posted: at 26-03-2016 04:18 PM (8 years ago) | Gistmaniac

As long as we try to put ROUND PEGS in SQUARE HOLES we will continue to mess up the little achievements we have made.

Do these people even go through interview panels before being handed jobs? Does the government really have to hand over jobs to someone because    they belong to the SAME political party or because they made huge CASH donations and " helped " win the eelection. When will we pass the stage of "MAN KNOW MAN?"

Posted: at 26-03-2016 05:12 PM (8 years ago) | Gistmaniac

May God enter into the hearts of office holders and stake holders in Nigeria to the beneficial things for the masses. Amen

Posted: at 26-03-2016 05:25 PM (8 years ago) | Gistmaniac

criminal woman, na God go judge you.

Posted: at 26-03-2016 05:39 PM (8 years ago) | Hero

Na women tif pass, see im face as e swell like pig...
She looks like a pig anyway...

Posted: at 26-03-2016 07:34 PM (8 years ago) | Hero

for real he will judge them all

Posted: at 26-03-2016 10:56 PM (8 years ago) | Gistmaniac