Oshiomhole tasks FG on repairs of Benin Airport

Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has lamented what he described as the unacceptable state of the Benin Airport despite the millions of naira allegedly spent on the renovation of the airport by the past Peoples Democratic Party, PDP-led administration in the country.

He appealed to the Federal Government to make the Benin Airport one of its priorities for the safety of Nigerians.

Oshiomhole, while addressing students and staff of the University of Benin, said, “In this country, we need militant citizenry to continue to interrogate those in power. The Benin Airport has capacity to operate 24 hours and it was like that before.

“When I assumed office as governor, there was a day I landed at the airport at 11p.m. And under seven years it has been run down. It has been renovated, even the runway resurfaced, but as you can see, all of that has produced few millionaires but the airport is worse for it.

“So, I ask our students to stop giving honours to government officials who have superintended over your impoverishment. The resources that have been spent on Benin Airport is enough to build an ultra- modern airport, but as you can see, you cannot land there after 6p.m.

“What that means is that we have to appeal to the new Minister of Transport that Benin City should be one of the few airports to receive attention from the Federal Government so that they can construct the runways so that the airport will be safer for Nigerians.”