Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago of Niger State has criticized the ongoing reconstruction work on the Minna Airport runway, describing it as shabby and below standard.

During a visit to assess the progress of the runway construction in Maikunkele, a suburb of Minna, the state capital, Governor Bago expressed his discontent with the poor quality of work carried out by the contracted firm.

Governor Bago voiced his concerns, stating, “This work is shabby, and the contractor has failed to meet the required standards outlined in the contract, despite having received funds.” He immediately directed the contractor to return to the site and rectify the runway to meet the agreed-upon standards, as the state is making active preparations to host guests for the upcoming Green Economy Summit scheduled for October 24 and 25, 2023.

During one of the governor’s inspection visits, the firm handling the runway project assured that they would deliver quality work by mid-August 2023. Governor Bago was accompanied by his Deputy, Comrade Yakubu Garba, the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Kabir Yusuf Muhammad, Chairman of the House Committee on Aviation Abdullahi Idris Garba, and members of the State Executive Council, among others.

The federal government project was awarded by the previous administration in the state.