- By Muizz Olanrewaju
Governor Alex Otti of Abia State has said those who take the state’s airport as a low priority project are speaking from a position of poor information on the project.
This was just as the Governor officially commenced the construction of the proposed Abia Airport at an elaborate ceremony on Tuesday.
At the groundbreaking ceremony held at Community Primary School, Umunna Nsulu, in Isiala Ngwa North Local Government Area of the state, the governor described the project as a significant milestone poised to enhance economic activities and establish Abia as a crucial hub in the West African sub-region.
Governor Otti detailed the airport’s technical specifications, stating that the initial design included a Type 4D runway measuring 2.8 kilometres, with provisions for future expansion to a Type 4E runway of 3.6 kilometres to accommodate larger aircraft.
He said that the State Government had commenced preparation for the payment of compensation to genuine land owners.
Otti also said that the project would be completed in 36 months and thanked everyone that contributed to marking it a reality.
He assured the host communities of fair compensation for their lands and praised their cooperation, emphasizing that the airport would benefit all citizens of the state and stimulate economic growth.
He also clarified that the Abia Airport is primarily a Federal Government project, with the state government supporting aspects such as the runway upgrade.
The project spans 1,325.86 hectares of land acquired from nine communities in Nsulu and Nkosi, with compensations currently being paid to the landowners.
The Minister of Aviation, Mr. Festus Keyamo, who performed the groundbreaking, emphasized the need for prioritizing employment for Nsulu indigenes and described the project as “social infrastructure” that will serve as an enabler of economic activities.
He described the airport as a presidential initiative because President Bola Tinubu instructed that no part of the country, particularly the South-East, should be left out of aviation development.
Keyamo said that the president specifically requested an airstrip for Abia State in the 2024 Budget due to his affection for the state and its governor.
He also said that Abia Government expressed willingness to partner with the Federal Government through counterpart funding to upgrade the project to an international cargo airport.
The minister highlighted the economic importance of Abia in the country’s industrial ecosystem.
He said that the state is considered the industrial hub of the South-East, producing many “Made in Nigeria” goods.
Keyamo further said that siting a cargo airport in the state would allow goods to be processed and exported directly, boosting logistics and economic activity.
He said that the airport would primarily focus on cargo operations to support industrialisation and trade in Abia and the South-East.
Keyamo said that an airport stands as an enabler that generates economic activities, and its construction should not be dependent on existing commercial demand.
He said that airports play a key role in enhancing connectivity and response to emergencies and Abia being excluded from the aviation ecosystem was deemed unacceptable.
He directed the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria to prioritise employment for people in Nsulu, where the airport will be located, to give them a sense of belonging.
He said that funds were allocated in the 2024 budget to commence clearing and development.
Keyamo also said that the Deputy Speaker had promised prompt approval of subsequent funding in 2025.
He said that the initiative underscores the Federal Government’s commitment to equitable infrastructure development, regional economic integration, and industrial growth in Abia.
The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chief Benjamin Kalu, expressed confidence that the project would be completed in record time because “Abia is blessed with a governor that understands the importance of synergistic partnership”.
Kalu said that he would work assiduously to ensure that any fund appropriated for the project received speedy approval by the House.
“The people with me here are members of the House from different parts of the country.
“We are promising Abia people that when the budget comes we will look out for the budget that is going to benefit Abia Airport and we will approve it,” he said.
Also, the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Mrs Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, expressed the determination of the president to deliver the dividend of democracy to the citizens.
Onyejeocha said that the people of Abia stood to gain enormous economic benefits from the siting of an airport in the state.
The lawmaker representing Isiala Ngwa North and South Federal Constituency, Chief Ginger Onwusibe, thanked the president for the resolve to build an airport in Abia.
Onwusibe said the project would contribute greatly to the achievement of critical infrastructure development in the area.
In a remark, the Chairman of Board of Trustees, Peoples Democratic Party, Sen. Adolphus Wabara, expressed delight over the fact that “an airport would be built in Abia in our lifetime”.
Wabara also expressed delight over the upgrade of the project from an airstrip to an international airport, where Boeing 737 aircrafts would land.
The Commissioner for Transport, Dr Chimezie Ukaegbu, described the project as a foundation for the future of economic growth and progress in Abia.
Ukaegbu said that the vision of the airport aligned with the government’s commitment to position Abia as a key economic hub in Nigeria and beyond.
In separate speeches, the Commissioner for Lands and Housing, Mr Chaka Chukwumerije, and the Airport Project Coordinator, Mr Okorougo Aji, said that 1,325.86 hectares of land were acquired from nine Nsulu Communities for the project.
They said that Abia Government was working assiduously to ensure that compensation was paid to all those whose land made up the project space.