The Federal Government has approved the concession of Port Harcourt International Airport to private operators, stating that the decision will enhance efficiency and curb losses from underperforming terminals nationwide.

Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, announced this after Thursday’s Federal Executive Council meeting in Abuja, assuring aviation workers that the concession will not result in job losses.

Keyamo stated, “This is a message to the unions: we will engage them. Nobody will lose their job. I’m making this very clear because there has been all kinds of misinformation to the union members. I am pro-union, pro-workers, and I know the kind of pressure they have been putting on me, including people within the system instigating them against these concessions.

“They will not dictate policies of the government. I repeat, no worker will lose his job as a result of concessions.”

According to the minister, the Federal Government had earlier faced challenges attracting investors to the Port Harcourt International Airport under the previous administration. However, renewed investor confidence under President Tinubu’s government has reversed the trend.

“Before we came in, Port Harcourt was a no-go area. Almost all the investors shunned Port Harcourt. But since this government came to power, more than six people were scrambling and falling over themselves to get to Port Harcourt. We now have a business case approved,” he said.

Keyamo noted that the Federal Executive Council approved all eight proposals submitted by the Ministry of Aviation, including the purchase of 15 new firefighting vehicles for deployment across the country’s five international airports in Abuja, Lagos, Kano, Port Harcourt, and Enugu.

“This is in tune with ICAO standards. The International Civil Aviation Organisation regularly audits our airports to determine whether they meet global standards. One of the key requirements is adequate fire-fighting equipment,” he noted.

The Council also approved the procurement and installation of tertiary power supply at all airports and 14 Very High Frequency remote stations managed by the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, aimed at ensuring uninterrupted support for air navigation systems.

Keyamo added that the FEC further approved the full business case for implementing a biometric verification system across all Nigerian airports.

“This is a public announcement to those who purported to have bought airport properties: we will not give those properties to them,” he declared.

“Airports are high-security zones. We need quarters for emergency personnel like the fire service and security staff. The President has now approved a memo to that effect.”

He explained that earlier asset disposals conducted by a presidential committee during former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration had created longstanding security challenges at several airports.