By Milcah Tanimu
A coalition of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) has expressed disapproval of the alleged plans by the Federal Government to relocate an ongoing project at the Umaru Musa Yar’adua International Airport (UMYIA) in Katsina to another location in the country. The National Secretary of Voice of the Masses, Bishir Dauda, addressed the media in Katsina on Sunday, describing the decision as an “unfortunate, deliberate, malicious, and subversive attempt” by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo.
The CSOs argued that the purported efforts to move the project from UMYIA to another part of the country were based on baseless and preposterous excuses. The project, awarded to Avsatel Communication Limited on December 7, 2022, aimed to refurbish Airport Rescue and Firefighting Vehicles (ARFF) at UMYIA.
Dauda emphasized that the project, initiated during the last administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, would have significant economic benefits for the state and the entire nation. The CSOs criticized the potential relocation as harmful and retrogressive, accusing Keyamo of attempting to shortchange the people of Katsina who had massively voted for the President.
The coalition called on Governor Dikko Radda, Katsina elders, and all patriotic citizens to convey their rejection of the decision to the President. They anticipated that President Buhari, as a listening leader, would reverse the decision and ensure the project’s completion. The CSOs expressed confidence that the president would either direct the contractor to expedite the project or revoke the contract and re-award it to another firm capable of executing it.
The contractors, AVSATEL Communication Ltd, initiated the proposal for relocation in a memo to the minister dated December 4, 2023. The company’s Managing Director, George Eder, cited logistic reasons, proposing to move the project to Abuja or any Southern part of the country for economic viability and long-lasting success. The CSOs questioned the motives behind the proposed relocation, emphasizing the need to prioritize the development dreams of Katsina state.