ON THE PROPOSED AIRPORT PROJECT IN EBONYI STATE


Philip Nweze

Surprises are never in short supply in this government. Every new day brings in new tidings.

The Governor of Ebonyi, Engr David Umahi, was in the news again earlier in the week after he announced that the State Government would embark on the construction of an airport in the state, the third in the South East geo-political zone. The Governor was said to have given the commitment while receiving a delegation of Ethiopian Airlines officials, who paid a courtesy visit on him at the Government House, Abakiliki.

Expectedly, the project would be getting off the ground by next year. A lot of the details are not yet known but it seems that the technical team would work with the state government’s consultants on technical evaluation of the project and topographical details of the site starting from first quarter of next year.

As unbelievable as it sounds, the salt of the nation is currently preparing to open its doors to the world as soon as the half decade long project wraps up in the state. Many investors are overlooking opportunities in Ebonyi and, fundamentally, air connectivity is essential to the prospects for this particular development.

Airports are necessary economic drivers which could spell new growth economically for any state. Airports are windows of any community in a country. They are inevitable for a community that wants to be connected to other communities within and outside a country. It will generate employment where they are located, and there will be emergence of other social services anywhere they are located.

However, ever since the pronouncement was made, it has set the social media corridors on fire, drawing varied reactions from Nigerians. Although, the move by the state government is in line with the Nigerian Aviation Act 2016 which allowed individuals, state governments and the federal government to own airports, there seemed to be reservations.

For a project of this magnitude, Finance is a major potential road block and some pessimists are already suspicious if a project requiring so much capital would materialise in a financially challenged state like ours. Cost analysis for airport planning, design and construction sits in the region of millions of dollars. No comprehensive cost control strategy can change this

To these pessimists, the idea of an airport project by a state at the lowest rung of the nation's federal allocation seems Impossible! Even laughable!

When it comes to the airport terminal itself, many aspects of its design are rigid – the requirement for baggage, security and IT systems, for example – and generally are not subject to cost compromises. 

In addition, the global economy and ever-changing business models of the airlines also compound already intense cost pressures associated with such large-scale capital projects.

But Governor Umahi had carefully dropped this line to the doubting Thomases: “There is nothing we say we would do in this government that we cannot do.

They must have forgotten we are talking about a Governor who raised up three giant flyovers from the rubbles of an empty treasury. The magician who makes omellet without eggs! And brings water out of dry rocks to quench the thirst of civil servants.

It is instructive to note that Governor Umahi had never made a promise he didn't fulfil.

All States will have airport before 2030 I believe.

Why do all state want to build airport

They have not finish serving the citizen, This is a misplaced priority. First something must take me or draw me to the state, Lagos commerce and jobs draw people der, Abuja it's the nation capital, Calabar known for tourism, etc.... what significance does the state have. That's my point


For instance Abia needs airport because of aba, etc

well congrats ndi ebonyi state

nice one

Nweze1986:
ON THE PROPOSED AIRPORT PROJECT IN EBONYI STATE


Philip Nweze

Surprises are never in short supply in this government. Every new day brings in new tidings.

The Governor of Ebonyi, Engr David Umahi, was in the news again earlier in the week after he announced that the State Government would embark on the construction of an airport in the state, the third in the South East geo-political zone. The Governor was said to have given the commitment while receiving a delegation of Ethiopian Airlines officials, who paid a courtesy visit on him at the Government House, Abakiliki.

Expectedly, the project would be getting off the ground by next year. A lot of the details are not yet known but it seems that the technical team would work with the state government’s consultants on technical evaluation of the project and topographical details of the site starting from first quarter of next year.

As unbelievable as it sounds, the salt of the nation is currently preparing to open its doors to the world as soon as the half decade long project wraps up in the state. Many investors are overlooking opportunities in Ebonyi and, fundamentally, air connectivity is essential to the prospects for this particular development.

Airports are necessary economic drivers which could spell new growth economically for any state. Airports are windows of any community in a country. They are inevitable for a community that wants to be connected to other communities within and outside a country. It will generate employment where they are located, and there will be emergence of other social services anywhere they are located.

However, ever since the pronouncement was made, it has set the social media corridors on fire, drawing varied reactions from Nigerians. Although, the move by the state government is in line with the Nigerian Aviation Act 2016 which allowed individuals, state governments and the federal government to own airports, there seemed to be reservations.

For a project of this magnitude, Finance is a major potential road block and some pessimists are already suspicious if a project requiring so much capital would materialise in a financially challenged state like ours. Cost analysis for airport planning, design and construction sits in the region of millions of dollars. No comprehensive cost control strategy can change this

To these pessimists, the idea of an airport project by a state at the lowest rung of the nation's federal allocation seems Impossible! Even laughable!

When it comes to the airport terminal itself, many aspects of its design are rigid – the requirement for baggage, security and IT systems, for example – and generally are not subject to cost compromises. 

In addition, the global economy and ever-changing business models of the airlines also compound already intense cost pressures associated with such large-scale capital projects.

But Governor Umahi had carefully dropped this line to the doubting Thomases: “There is nothing we say we would do in this government that we cannot do.

They must have forgotten we are talking about a Governor who raised up three giant flyovers from the rubbles of an empty treasury. The magician who makes omellet without eggs! And brings water out of dry rocks to quench the thirst of civil servants.

It is instructive to note that Governor Umahi had never made a promise he didn't fulfil.

you're just trying to earn your pay as Umahi online propagandist.