Enugu Airport saga: Aviation Minister, Sirika, expected to address media next week
Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, is expected to address a press conference next week on the issues surrounding the reconstruction of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu.
The Airport was closed down for the runways to be rehabilitated but there have been conflicting stories concerning the state of readiness of the Federal Government to go ahead with work at the Airport to be able meet its announced December 2019 deadline for conclusion of the project.
There are reports that the Federal Government does not have the funds required for the project, an indication that traffic to the airport that has been diverted to the Sam Mbakwe International Airport, Owerri, Imo State, Asaba Airport, Delta State and Port Harcourt Airport Rivers State may not be reverted to the Akanu Ibiam Airport soon.
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has gone ahead to visit Ethiopian Airways headquarters in Addis Ababa to seal a deal with the Airline that before now had made the Akanu Ibiam Airport, Enugu its base to move permanently to the Port Harcourt Airport, if the Federal Authorities approve the plan.
While the Enugu Airport was still shut, Chairman of the South East Governors’ Forum and Governor of Ebonyi State had gone on a visit to President Muhammadu Buhari, ostensibly on behalf of the South East geo-political zone and instead of news of progress on the Enugu Airport, which up till now is a major concern for the zone, the only outstanding concession he seemed to have secured was approval for an International Airport to be built in Ebonyi State.
When Global Patriot Newspapers (Online) asked a senior official of the aviation ministry for an update on the Enugu Airport project, the official hurriedly parried the question, assuring, however, that the Minister of Aviation would address the Media next week on the matter.
Lagos lawyer and past President of Aka Ikenga, an Igbo thank-tank, Chief Goddy Uwazurike, reacting to the seeming logjam at the Airport, said “this is the 7th week since this airport was closed! No work is going on. No contractors on site. The Abuja Airport was closed for renovation that was proposed to last for six weeks. Work was completed before the six weeks. The correct answer on the Akanu Ibiam International Airport is that it is closed indefinitely.”
On Gov. Wike’s trip to Addis Ababa, Chief Uwazurike said, “Gov Wike is free to market his state. Remember that the members of the NASS (National Assembly) from the South-East put this airport as their constituency project when (now Senator) Stella Odua was Aviation Minister and GEJ (Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan) was the President. So all that effort will go down the drain as a result of marginalision!”
Many are eager to hear what Senator Sirika, who had personally given the assurance that the rehabilitation of the airport would be completed on time for use in December by the high volume of travelers that usually patronize the Airport during the yuletide would say at his expected conference.
