RE: AKWA IBOM AIRPORT: CASH GUZZLER OR GOLDMINE?

Reading a piece by a back-page columnist, Jerry Uwah, in the Leadership newspaper edition of Tuesday January 12, 2010, on; whether Akwa Ibom airport was cash guzzler or goldmine, I noted that there were some issues he should have cleared before writing. Mr. Jerry Uwah though presented convincing sequence in his write up; nevertheless he missed out some salient points but he should be forgiven because he likely wrote with the available information within his reach. To answer him, it is a goldmine.

The well-conceptualized airport project was a project designed primarily as Hangar for Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) of aircrafts; the commercial flight aspect was secondary because since it was an airport project. Towards the end of the 2007, the present administration took delivery of the MRO component which was paid for upfront by the previous administration.

The question that should be put across now is to ascertain why the present administration has kept the MRO aspect at the back burner instead of the front burner. This is why I agree with Jerry Uwah that profligacy of the present government crept in. Such posture continued in many of the State’s project and recently the governor donated N145million to ThisDay newspaper for the so-called Peace Concert that had no bearing to the people and musicians of Akwa Ibom extraction. Whereas it was leant that Edo gave only N25million.

I agree with Jerry that to wet lease an aircraft in order to keep the airport busy would be jumping from fry pan to fire. What the government should do is move fast and completes the MRO aspect because that is where the expected profit would accrue to the State government.

Well Mr. Uwah, it would interest you to note that Dana Air has taken over the position of Arik Air who has been requested to sort out “their internal problem” according to Air Commodore Idongesit Nkanga (rtd), the Ibom airport project implementation committee chairman. It is assumed that our own Aniete Okon of Arik and probably our Governor Akpabio should sit down and sort out their personal differences.

Obong Steve Udeme, 189 Bende Street, Umuahia, Abia State.