
The Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, has received the Honorary Fellowship and Distinguished Service Award of the Nigerian Institute of Architects for the unprecedented infrastructural developments in the aviation sector.
Sirika, who is also a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society made this known in a statement issued by the ministry’s Director, Public Affairs, James Odaudu, on Friday in Lagos.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the award was given to the minister at the institute’s Architecture Annual Award 2021 in Abuja.
Sirika, while receiving the award, expressed his appreciation to the institute for recognizing his modest achievements in the aviation sector, even though he was not an architect by profession.
The minister said that he had been invited to receive numerous awards, honours, fellowships and even honorary doctorate degrees, numbering about 390 all of which he declined.
He said: “This award by the Nigerian Institute of Architects is an exception because of the integrity of the institution.
“I am more than glad to accept this, I cherish it, I will keep it, I will nurse it and I will carry it to one of my sons or daughters who will be an architect.”
The minister said under his supervision the ministry had embarked upon 157 projects and delivered 134 to 100 per cent completion, for the first time in the history of Nigerian aviation.
The statement quoted the citation by the institute as saying that among the minister’s numerous landmark achievements which earned him the award were the completion of the international terminals at four airports.
They are namely the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja; Murtala Mohammed Airport, Lagos; Port Harcourt International Airport and the Malam Aminu Kano Airport which it described as architectural masterpieces.
The institute cited the rehabilitation of the runways of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja and the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu according to ICAO specifications which were not only delivered ahead of schedule, but within budget.
“Airports under his watch were certified (Abuja and Lagos). It is also on record that aviation has become the fastest-growing sector in the Nigerian economy Pre-COVID-19
“Passenger grew from eight to 18 million and similarly all allied businesses have grown tremendously” the statement quoted the citation as saying. (NAN)