Minister of State for Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika has said that the relocation of operations of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport to Kaduna would cost over N1.1 billion.

Sirika while briefing the senate on the logistics implication of the relocation said that the ministry had taken into account relevant agencies that would be deployed to facilitate the relocation.

Recall last week, the Senate could not reach a conclusion with the ministry as issues such as the cost of the relocation could not be answered.

However, while briefing the lawmakers on Tuesday, Sirika said that the relocation will gulp N1.134 billion.

Of the amount, the Nigerian Railway Corporation is to gulp N100,326,400, Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) will take N237,247,216.21 while the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) will take up N325,000,000.

A total of N358,517,700 billion was allocated to the Nigerian Police Force and the Nigeria Immigration Service is to take N29 million Naira.

The ministry is also going to hire the buses of the Federal Ministry of Transportation for N84 million naira, which brings the total figure to N1.134 billion.

The Abuja Airport is expected to be closed for six weeks from March 8.

However, many of the senators who spoke still expressed displeasure with the closure of the airport stressing that it could be done without total closure of teh airport.

NAN