We Are Gradually Closing Infrastructural Deficit Bedevilling Our Country – Buhari

President Muhamadu Buhari has said that his government is
gradually closing the infrastructural deficit bedevilling the
nation.

The President made the assertion while inaugurating the new
international terminal of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport
in Abuja on Thursday, December 20.

According to officials, the terminal is one of the biggest in
West Africa and it has the capacity to process at least 15 million
passengers yearly.

In a statement issued by a special aide to the President, Femi
Adesina on Thursday, Buhari said that the government is deliberate
in its policy to sustain the development in Nigeria.

Below is the statement in full.

“It gives me great pleasure to be here for the formal
commissioning of the new Terminal at the Nnamdi Azikiwe
International Airport, Abuja. This event represents yet another
significant milestone for International air travellers in and out
of the Federal Capital Territory.

2. You will recall that on the 25th October, 2018, I
commissioned Port Harcourt International Airport Terminal. During
the event, the Honourable Minister of State (Aviation) stated that
the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Terminal, Abuja would be
completed and ready for commissioning before the end of the year.
Today, that promise has been kept. I wish to commend the Honourable
Minister and his team for a job well done.

3. With the commissioning of this Terminal, Nigeria is moving
towards achieving and meeting global aviation standards in
facilitation, passenger processing and service delivery in tandem
with international best practices.

This Administration recognises aviation as a catalyst for
economic growth and as such will continue to encourage and support
the actualization of projects that will place Nigerian Airports
amongst the best in the world.

4. This event today, reflects Government’s deliberate policy to
sustain the development of Nigeria’s infrastructure. We are
gradually closing the infrastructural deficit bedevilling our
country.

5. I am happy to note the progress being made in both the
airports and sea ports on the implementation of the Executive Order
on the Ease of Doing Business. Government officials manning these
gateways are to sustain the momentum and ensure travellers in and
out of the country have the best of experience as a necessary
complement to the ultra-modern terminal.

6. Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Terminal is the first
airport terminal to be connected to the rail transport system in
the Country and indeed in the region. This has provided passengers
and other airport users with a choice in the mode of transport to
and from the city centre. I recall taking a ride from the City
Metro station to the Airport on the day the rail line was
commissioned.

7. I wish to assure you therefore, that Government remains
committed to developing Nigeria into Regional air transportation
hub and thereby assuming its leadership in the aviation sub-sector
in Africa.

8. Let me once again appreciate the efforts of the Federal
Ministry of Transportation (Aviation), the Government of the
Peoples Republic of China and the China Exim Bank for their
financial support and the various roles they played leading to the
successful completion of this project. Let me also commend the
contractor Messrs CCECC for delivering this project on time.

9. It is therefore, with great pleasure that I commission the
new International Terminal building of Nnamdi Azikiwe International
Airport, Abuja.

Thank you and God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

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