Jethro Ibileke/Benin

Air passengers traveling through the Benin Airport will have to wait longer as the contractor handling the renovation work being carried out at the airport has failed to meet the deadline to delivery the work.

The airport which was closed down in June for renovation to bring runway back to safety, especially large passenger planes, was initially slated to be completed by 10 July, but has now been rescheduled for completion by 21, August, 2015.

But as at Wednesday, 15 July, the renovation project had barely gone half-way, when journalists visited the airport.

The Airport Manager, Mr Sunday Ayodele, told journalists that the work suffered delay because of bad weather and incessant rainfall.

Besides, he blamed the delay on other logistic issues, adding that the contractor formally wrote the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and the other owners of the airport to request for at least six more weeks to conclude the renovation work.

Following the renovation, the airport tarmac had remained opened for helicopters and other light aircraft to use for landing while air passengers were advised to make use of the Asaba Airport as well as Osubi Airstrip in neighbouring Delta State.