01 June 2011
Najaf - Najaf council is refusing to transfer control of its international airport to the Civil Aviation Authority.
Members of the council said today that since the facility was built with investment they themselves secured it should stay under their control.
Deputy chairman of the airport committee, Farouk al-Ghazali, said: "The council held an emergency meeting yesterday to discuss the airport after attempts to put it under the authority of the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation."
"The council strongly rejects the returning of the project to the Ministry of Transport. We don't object to it exercising some powers at the airport, but we must keep overall control."
Nizar al-Naffakh, a council member said: "This is not the first the Ministry of Transport has demanded we transfer control, but this violates the investment law, which says locally funded projects remain under local control."
Baghdad challenges this saying that airports are an exception, that should all fall under central control.
Najaf International was constructed by Aqiq, a Kuwaiti company, in 2006 under contract from the council. The company were also to operate the airport for five years at a cost of $50 million.
But after severe delays, and accusations that the money had been channeled to other Aqiq projects, the council decided to cancel the contract last week and put it out to tender for other companies to bid on.
Najaf - Najaf council is refusing to transfer control of its international airport to the Civil Aviation Authority.
Members of the council said today that since the facility was built with investment they themselves secured it should stay under their control.
Deputy chairman of the airport committee, Farouk al-Ghazali, said: "The council held an emergency meeting yesterday to discuss the airport after attempts to put it under the authority of the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation."
"The council strongly rejects the returning of the project to the Ministry of Transport. We don't object to it exercising some powers at the airport, but we must keep overall control."
Nizar al-Naffakh, a council member said: "This is not the first the Ministry of Transport has demanded we transfer control, but this violates the investment law, which says locally funded projects remain under local control."
Baghdad challenges this saying that airports are an exception, that should all fall under central control.
Najaf International was constructed by Aqiq, a Kuwaiti company, in 2006 under contract from the council. The company were also to operate the airport for five years at a cost of $50 million.
But after severe delays, and accusations that the money had been channeled to other Aqiq projects, the council decided to cancel the contract last week and put it out to tender for other companies to bid on.
© AK News 2011
