Behold Abia International Airport, Another wonder of the world to be built within 4 months

One of the legacy projects which the Abia State Government wants to bequeath to the state before it leaves office on May 29, next year is an airport.
In fact, speak­ing through his Special Adviser on Pub­lic Communication, Mr Ben Onyechere, the governor reiterated the commitment of his administration to build an airport in the state. The essence, government pos­ited, was that considering the location of Aba, as the eastern commercial pride, it will boost investment in the state thereby turning around the economy of the state. It does not matter that the Sam Mbakwe Air­port, Owerri is some kilometres away just as the Port Harcourt Airport.
In a statement, he said: “It has become im­perative that an airport should be sited in Abia State, considering its location as the commer­cial and industrial nerve centre of the South East. I’m convinced beyond doubt that busi­ness and tourism potentials of the state will be enhanced greatly, as much as it will attract more opportunities to grow existing facilities in the state.
“There is equally no doubt that there will be an influx of employment that will im­mensely generate developmental initiatives, if this onerous project is realized.”
He added: “However, the state is faced with numerous contending challenges but in spite of that, I am resolute in my determina­tion to build an airport which will comple­ment all other efforts we have made to bring the state at par with its contemporaries.
“An average Abia man is commerce-ori­ented, most of whose businesses are scattered all over the world, and as such the need for this project has become overwhelming as much as it has become necessary to avail re­turning Abians to a one-stop trip.”
Mr James Kwubiri Okpara, Abia State Commissioner for Special Services, also stat­ed that there was no going back on the project. He told a newspaper: “By the grace of God, I am the secretary of the airport committee and we have said it several times that we are committed to giving an airport to the people of Abia State. The avalanche of expressions of interest by the people of Abia shows that this is a project they all need and yearn for. In this matter too, contractors have been given a fair chance to bid for the work. We have both Nigerian and Chinese companies bidding for it. We also have an Irish company who wants to partner the Abia State government to en­sure that this becomes a reality. It is unusual because they come to approach you and not you going to approach them.
“This tells you that people outside realise what government is doing to better the lot of the people. If, for instance, they do not have confidence in government, they will not come forward to be involved in this airport project.”
Justifying the desirability and viability of the airport, he explained: “The people of Abia State have asked for an airport and we are bent on providing one for them. The request made by Abia people for an airport is indeed overwhelming. The volume of passenger traf­fic from Owerri Airport to Abuja and Lagos shows that the people of Abia State constitute the majority. The people of Abia State trav­elling from here to outside the country on a daily basis are overwhelming.
“Close to us is the Owerri Airport and nearly 80 per cent of the people who use it are from Abia State. It is verifiable. So, the pres­sure is on us to build our own airport to solve this problem. The same applies to Enugu Air­port and the same with Port Harcourt Airport. Don’t forget that Aba is in Abia State and it is one of the most memorable commercial cit­ies in Nigeria. So, the request by Abia for an airport is a momentum that has built over the years. And now the government says this is the right time to give Abia people an airport.”
The commissioner further said: “This is why we are building a modern airport. It is for cargo and will also be of international stand­ard. It will be ready as soon as practicable and it will ease some of these traffic pressures on our people. The project has started and it is located between Umuahia and Aba. The pro­jection of the governor is that before he leaves office, the airport should be functional. That is the expectation but if by any means it is not functional, majority of the jobs would have been done.”
Chucks Ibegbu added: “Ndi Abia should congratulate Governor T.A. Orji for this very thoughtful project among other legacy pro­jects going on in the state now. All hands must be on deck to realise this enduring project, which will be undertaken through a public private partnership.”
Again, some days ago, Abia State Com­missioner for Information and Strategy, Chief Anthony Agbazuere reiterated that the out­going administration was still committed to building an airport in the state. Maintaining that the airport project was so dear to the state governor, he volunteered that aerial survey of the proposed site had been completed even as government was engaging host communities on the process of compensation.
In his reaction to the development, the Abia State Chairman of APGA, Prince Ukae­gbu described the plan of an airport project by the Abia State Government as “misplaced priority.”
Hear him: “The state government’s report­ed plan to build an airport in the state is like the case of a poorly fed man whose children are driven away from school over fees but prefers to buy a luxury car.
“Aba roads are impassable and the city is in squalor. Rather than fixing the poor infra­structure in the state, the government is busy planning big projects that are unrealisable. How can a government that cannot construct half a kilometre road in one year be talking about an airport few months to the expiration of its tenure.”
An Abia civil servant, who did not want his name in print for fear of being persecuted, opined that the project was not real. Consider what he said: “If it is true that some people requested for an airport in Abia, I believe it was meant to humour the government. How can anyone talk about an airport when ordi­nary roads have not been fixed? Abia State has the worst road network in the country and some people are talking about building an air­port that is not needed. Civil servants in the state are being owed several months’ salary arrears and someone is talking about building an airport within four or five months. It is sim­ply unbelievable. I think the promoters of the project, if at all are up to something. But mark my word: you won’t see any airport in Abia when this government goes into the dustbin of history.”
Looking for the Abia airport is like looking for a virgin in a maternity ward. Judging from the way the airport project is being projected, one would think that it had taken off, if not at the final stage. But the fact on ground is that there is no airport anywhere. After pains­takingly traversing the state recently, the re­porter eventually stumbled on the proposed site of the airport. It is a bushy environment lying between Ikwuano LGA and Olokoro in Umuahia South.
BY HENRY UMAHI ([email protected])