Ndubuisi Orji,  Abuja

The House of Representatives,  last Wednesday, charged President Muhammadu Buhari to wade into the delay in the commencement of the rehabilitation of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport,  Enugu.

There has been anxiety in the polity, particularly in the South East geo-political zone  over the delay in the commencement of repair works  on  the Akanu Ibiam International Airport,  Enugu, six weeks after the airport was shutdown for rehabilitation.

The  Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) had  on August 24 closed down the Akanu Ibiam International Airport to enable the repairs of the runway, without any definite date for the completion of the work.

Apparently,  worried by the development by the state of affairs as regards the airport, the House last week adopted a motion by the deputy minority leader,  Toby Okechukwu,  and 13 other members of the House calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to intervene in the rehabilitation of the airport, so that work can commence immediately.

The House also called  on the Federal Ministry of Works, to rehabilitate roads in the South East leading to alternative airports and routes into the zone and also directed its committee on Aviation to interface with the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sariki,  over the delay in the commencement of work on the airport.

The 14 lawmakers in the motion, moved under Matters of Urgent Public Importance,  had noted  that  Sirika, after  a visit  to Enugu  meeting with governors and stakeholders in the South East, promised that the rehabilitation would be completed before Christmas 2019.

However,  they are “alarmed that six weeks after closure of the airport, no rehabilitation or reconstruction work has begun at the airport even as there are no indications that the contractor would mobilise to site any time soon.”

The lawmakers expressed worry that the closure of the airport has exposed members of the public traveling on that corridor to avoidable inconveniences and frustrated their ease of doing business, especially as the major arterial routes leading to other alternate airports or leading to the south East have also remained dilapidated.

They called on the government to give the Enugu Airport,  the same attention it gave the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport,  two years ago,  when the latter was closed for repairs.

According to them “ the funding model for the renovation of Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja would save Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu from protracted closure.”

Okechukwu, in his lead debate, had  lamented  that all the major routes leading to the alternative airport in the South East, as well as major routes into the zone have collapsed,  thereby subjecting the people of the area to untold hardship.

He stated that despite assurances by Sirika that the rehabilitation of the runway of the Akanu Ibiam Airport would be completed by December, 2019  there are no indications that the contractor would mobilise to site any time soon.

“In spite of the December 2019 deadline which is fast approaching, no contractor has been mobilised to the site and no fund released for the rehabilitation works,” Okechukwu said.

The lawmaker stated  the “Akanu Ibiam International Airport is critical to the safety, economic, and social lives of most Nigerians and foreign travelers” and called on the government to expedite action in the rehabilitation of the runway.

The Akanu Ibiam International Airport, apart  from being the major airport in the South East region, also services the Middle Belt and a substantial part of the South South zone.  And following its closure,  people travelling into and out of the zone,  are left with the choice of using the Sam Mbakwe Airport,  Owerri or the Asaba Airport in Delta State.

Unfortunately,  the connecting roads from Enugu to these two airports are in very deplorable state.  For instance,  the Onitsha-Enugu Expressway,  which connects the former capital of the defunct Eastern Region to the Asaba Airport has completely collapsed and has become impassable.

Similarly,   roads leading to the Sam Mbakwe Airport from Enugu,  just like roads in other parts of the South East zone,  have equally gone bad.

Chris  Azubogu,  who represents Nnewi North and South federal constituency, while urging the government  to hasten work on the Enugu airport, said it is very strategic to the country  as it is the connecting point of both the Middle Belt, North East, South South, as well as the South East.

He said:  “every movement that leaves Niger Bridge, heads straight to Enugu Onitsha expressway into Enugu. The  Enugu Airport and the connecting roads around Enugu and environs are very critical to our survival, in terms of efficiency, productivity and even add seriously our economic growth,  because you can talk about economic growth without talking about proper transportation both air and land. We are pleading that this airport is done.”

A tale of two airports 

Critical stakeholders from the South East and environs are particularly miffed that government  has failed to give the Enugu airport the same attention  it gave to the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport.

Analysts argue that in the interest of equity and fair play,  the government should as a priority fast track the rehabilitation of the Enugu Airport while at the same time provide palliative for travelers in the South East corridors pending the reopening of the airport.

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The government on March  7, 2017 had closed the Abuja airport for repairs, the airport was reopened on April 18, 2019, a day earlier than the scheduled April 19, reopening date.

However,  while the Abuja Airport  was shut,  the government diverted traffic to the Kaduna airport. Apart from embarking on rehabilitation of roads,  from Abuja to the Kaduna airports,  there was massive security beef up on the Kaduna Abuja  expressway for that period.

The question,  therefore,  is if the repair work on the Abuja airport was completed within six weeks,  why is work yet to commence on the Enugu airport,  six weeks,  after  it was closed for repairs?

A member of the House representing Aguata Federal Constituency,  Chukwuma Umeoji,  told Daily Sun that the Federal Government has always treated the South East as a conquered territory.

Umeoji said the issue of the Akanu Ibiam Airport is another pointer to the marginalization of the Igbo nation.  The lawmaker,  while making allusion to alleged plans by the government to set up 56 toll gates  in the South East, said it is regrettable that it is only  in the area of taxation that the zone is given priority by the government.

He said:  “from my own understanding of the politics,  you know that there was a time the Federal Government wanted to downgrade that airport.  And it was resisted.

“ I could see something happening as if it a deliberate attempt to close down the airport entirely.  It is also part of the marginalisation we are talking about,  being the centre of airport transportation in the South East, and maybe the only international Airport in the whole zone.  I think it is also part of that effort to subdue the South East.”

The lawmaker said: “unfortunately, the roads in the South East are in the worst condition compared to other roads. According to  people,  if it is in terms of taxing people, the South East is given priority.  But if it is in terms of infrastructure,  whether it is railway,  road or airport,  the South East has the least in terms of allocation of resources.  And the Federal Government does not pay any attention to the lack of infrastructure.  The South East has the least federal presence of all the geo-political zones.  These are the things that fuel agitation of self determination.

“That is a conquered territory. All these radical groups in the South East, that is why they keep expanding their followership.  Because  when you look around,  in a short distance,  you have four five checkpoints.  But when you go to other zones,  you can move from state to another without seeing one checkpoint and these are places that have more security challenges than the South East. Our people think that civil war mentality is still there.  They look at the South East like a conquered territory. “

Umeoji admonished the Federal Government to change its approach to issues affecting the South East. He stated that alleged discrimination against certain parts of the country are amongst the factors militating against nation building.

“The way out is for the Federal Government to change their approach to the issues concerning the South East and take Nigeria as one.  If Nigeria is really one, I don’t see the need for that discrimination; these are the things that endanger nation building.  You cannot have two different kind of rules in the same country. “

Waiting for the President 

Last Thursday,  barely  24 hours after  the Green chamber sought the intervention of President Buhari on the Enugu Airport,  the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika,  appeared before the House Committee on Aviation over the issue.

Sirika told the committee that rehabilitation work on the Akanu Ibiam International Airport,  was yet to commence,  because the ministry is yet to get the requisite fund.

He said,   the Aviation Ministry made a request for a N10 billion special grant to the Federal Government for the reconstruction of the runway of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, but was yet to secure an approval from the President.

Regardless,  the Aviation Minister assured that repair works  on the Enugu Airport will be completed in December, this year, if the fund is released.

He said: “given the money, we have a time frame of delivering the airport before Christmas; the choice is because we understand that people travel back home during the period and we want them to find a new airport on arrival.

“We have put before government a request of N10 billion and we believe government is doing everything possible to provide the funds.”

Following Sirika ‘s declaration, pundits say the ball is now in President Buhari’s court and that his action in the matter will determine if the Enugu Airport will be ready before the Christmas holiday.

The South East caucus House of Representatives understands this.  Addressing journalist on the issue last Wednesday,  Okechukwu,  who spoke on behalf of the caucus said “we are asking for the Presidential intervention, it requires that red pen by Mr President. It requires his compassion;  the feelings he has for the people, the peace of South East and the other people traveling from various parts of the world to Enugu.”

The deputy minority leader added: “knowing that  Christmas is a festive season, we are asking the President to please take appropriate action. The same measure that was taken at Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, Abuja should be taken in Enugu. We believe that it is only that treatment that can ensure the traveling public will enjoy their Christmas.”

“The Enugu  Airport is too  consequential for our economic, security and social life,” Okechukwu enthused.