By Obi Nwakanma
LAST week, the Federal Execu tive Council announced that it had approved N4 billion for the upgrade of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu. The news was conveyed to the public by the Information minister, Dr. Dora Akunyili.
It immediately elicited a jig from Mr. Ike Ekweremadu, the ranking senator from Enugu and deputy president of the Senate, who immediately began to wax lyrical about Yar’Adua showing the South-East that he cared. Well, really?
In any case, why shouldn’t Yar’Adua care? Approving state funds for the upgrade of federal investments in the South East of Nigeria should no longer be considered an act of charity from some god sitting in some splendid remove at Abuja, and dishing largesse to whomsoever he pleases.
It is an economic decision – and it is a sound economic decision to invest in an international airport in Enugu to cater for that segment of a travelling population who are currently inconvenienced by the absence of such a facility.
And the South-East of Nigeria is either part or not of the federation of Nigeria. Besides, I think that the senator Ike Ekweremadu must know that part of the negotiating process and gains of democratic of representation is the willingness to use legislative authority to push for projects and programs towards one’s constituency.
The decision to site and in fact upgrade the current facilities of the Enugu airport ought, therefore, to have nothing to do solely on the whims of President Yar’Adua.
Hopefully, it is a well-thought project emanating from the budget office, and taking life from the approbation committee of the various arms of the National Assembly, and of course requiring the affirmation of the president as fait accompli. He would be doing his duty and it would not be an act of charity to the East.
Besides, the money that goes into the upgrade of facilities at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu is not an out-of-pocket grant from the president, nor does it come from some inherited fortune or family trust fund accruing to the president by which he endows charitable work; it is money derived from the general revenue of pool of the federation of Nigeria coming mostly from receipts from exports, chief of which currently is oil, and from taxation – personal income tax, value added tax and corporate tax – some of which, I suppose are collected in Enugu particularly, and the South East of Nigeria generally.
I should, therefore, imagine that citizens of these areas must have some benefit of government, and such benefits must not be attributed to an individual, namely the president of the federation, but to the process of collective decisions that fashion and regulate the good conduct of state.
I realize, of course, that much of this question about the power of the Presidency is moot, but if it must take the president to decide the upgrade of the International Airport at Enugu, or even to raise the funds for such an upgrade, it means that the Federal Aviation Authority and the Federal Airports Development Authority, the institutions charged with airport regulation and development in Nigeria are redundant, and these bodies must then be scrapped, and such matters as ought to come under their purview charged henceforth under the office of the president.
But it also must mean that the president has more power than is permissible in a democracy.
It is the power to play God and the Russian roulette with our affairs. The president of the federation must never be in a position where he has the yam as well as the knife.
Such a power as personalizes the powers of state and continues to create the cult of personality that would make the senator from Enugu dance a public Atilogwu and sing the president’s panegyric just because the Federal Executive Council announces a mere N4 billion naira for the upgrade of a national infrastructure in his district is dangerous to democracy. We must review such powers if it is to make sense at all.
I have for long been under the impression that the National Assembly of which Ekweremadu is a principal operator, holds the purse strings.
Whatever it approves, the president spends. But I apparently need to be better informed about this. Besides, talk about the upgrade of the Akanu Ibiam international airport has been long on the marks. Indeed, there have been earmarks to it from the federal accounts, yet it has remained more in rhetoric than in fact.
Eastern and indeed many Middle belt international travelers have frequently demanded this upgrade for a number of reasons, chief of which is the inconvenience of always travelling to Lagos, Abuja or Kano, or even Port-Harcourt before they could board or even disembark from an international flight.
The two international gateways to the East, the Port-Harcourt Airport, and the Enugu Airport are underdeveloped and underinvested. This has been a major grouse.
The Enugu facility particularly needs significant upgrade in order to accommodate a certain class of aircraft, and indeed, a certain welcoming ambience befitting a national gateway.
The economic implications and opportunities that might accrue from the operations of an international airport at Enugu are rather too well known to rehash here.
But we need the facilities, and I’m afraid N4billion is rather too meager to effect the kind of upgrade befitting an international Airport in Enugu. It pales so profoundly when we note that about N124 billion was expended in the expansion and upgrade of just the domestic wing of the Ikeja Airport.
If the Federal authorities wish to invest in an international airport, and
the Akanu Ibiam International Airport is worthy of its own name and pedigree, then it must do the right thing: N4billion is unlikely to effect both the aesthetic and utilitarian character of that airport, not if we are thinking about new hangars, new comfortable terminal buildings, new runways, new landing facilities, and so on and so forth.
The Nigerian government and the Aviation authority must do the right thing. It must show us, citizens and potential users of this international airport, the design concept for this upgrade as a matter of public service.
It ought in fact to open public tenders for this design to talented Nigerian and even international designers, builders, an architects, so that we can choose rationally, raise taxes, get the matching grant from government, and build a befitting international airport in Enugu.
Enough of these arbitrary impositions – we citizens of this country should no longer be taken for children to whom candies are frequently handed. Besides, we must get a timeline for this N4 billion for the airport.
my heart bleeds when i visit places in Nigeria where the money realised from oil are used to better the lives of people living in those areas whereas the land where these resources are lifted from suffer in abject poverty, our mental stability has been so awashed that we now live like slaves in our own land, betrayed by our so called leaders who were rather imposed on us by our detractors supported by Russia-British-Arab league, if not so , why would upgrading of Enugu airport or dredging of River Niger be a news after such an economic decision has belated for 39years. Niger Delta is in pains and those hirelings that call themselves leaders fakes smiles in Abuja and pretend they are ignorant of the real situation.God cannot be mocked as Russia and Britain are also paying for their diplomatic sins, just like the Arab nations.
President Umar Yardua is a good leader.Well meaning Nigerians should be praying fervently for him to have a long life,so that he would continue with his good work(s).Long President Umar Yardua and Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Chief Anayor Ajator writes from South Africa.
All this Nigerian nonsense will stop when Biafra is actualized. It is not a matter of if, but, when. And that “when” is no longer a matter of generations, but months.
Biafra and Biafrans will build our own airports (and other institutional structures and edifices) to International Standards and better. During the Biafran War, Uli airport had become the busiest airport in Africa, as was then reported, even though Biafrans were dodging Russian-Arab-Egyptian-British-Nigerian bombs and rockets at the same time while maintaining airport operations. 40 years later, Nigeria is yet to operate an airport successfully, never mind manage any airways.
And, regarding that war, it is a mark of ignorance to state or imply that the then Eastern Nigeria fought and lost a war against Federal Nigeria, for which the SouthEast is being punished today. In 1966, Northern Nigerians committed ethnic cleansing against Easterners, especially against the Igbo. Forced into their own enclave, the Igbo and other Easterners would know no peace with an implacable enemy bent on extending the genocide into Eastern home-territory. The Igbo and other Easterners fought back in self defence. This is all historical, though the Obasanjo’s of Nigeria would love to rewrite the history, which for the moment they might have succeeded in doing. But, History has a long memory. Biafran generations will outlive Nigeria, just as the name and region, “Biafra” predated Nigeria by centuries. We will make sure our history is correct, based on facts.
Finally, for those who still think that Nigeria won the Biafra-Nigeria War, you may console yourselves with the prize of a pyrrhic victory. If Nigeria really won the war, how come Nigeria is a basket-case, a failed state, today sporting the likes of Yar’Adua, Ekweremadu, Obasanjo, and the rest? No doubt Nigeria now has occupied Biafra, and takes all that Biafra has as war booty, but ask yourself, where has that gotten Nigeria? If this is victory, go ahead and have it, and then, more of it.
Fact is that Nigeria is still afraid of Biafra today–and it should be. Because, Biafra will be actualized. And Nigeria is comatose, an unconscious breath away from final death, merely delayed by its fear of what Biafra will become. Everything that Nigeria thinks it has taken away from Biafra today, Biafra will certainly recover and multipy on.
So, go ahead, Nigeria: keep depriving the Igbo of all opportunities. Tease us with the Niger Bridge, or with Enugu International Airport. Delude yourself into thinking that by you mocking the Igbo, you can stop us. For sure, you can have your Nigeria, but we will have Biafra.
@ Chief Anayor Ajator
Are you totally insane or trying to insult the Igbo?
Mr. Nwakanma I could not have written this any better. The neglect of South East and South West has gotten so bad that University “graduates” are now resorting to kidnapping innocent hardworking Igbo men because they have no other source of making a living. It is quite astonishing that instead of saying enough is enough and fighting for the people that elected them, these so called Senators and Reps continue to embarrass themselves. They do not open their mouth during debates or sponsor any bill that will benefit their constituency. Some Niger Deltans, including Goodluck Jonathan was at a meeting where the Oil Minister recommended that a school that was to be built in Niger Delta be moved to Kaduna, and they did not say anything. What a bunch of morons!
For Ekwerenmadu to dance about N4 billion upgrade for Enugu Airport is absurd. What is 4 billion Naira going to do? Please visit these sites and see how much these types of project cost: http://www.bechtel.com, http://www.aecom.com. The President should get one of these reputable companies and ask them to bring Nigeria infrastructure to 21st century. What contractor is going to do this so called upgrade of Enugu airport with the amount allocated? This is a joke!
Libya gave a contract to aecom to build a 6 lane (on each side) freeway connecting the whole country, build a stadium, convention center, hospital, University, and other major infrastructure in each city of the country. The cost for all this is $50 billion. Do you know how much we spent on 2 contracts awarded to 2 Chinese companies: $8 billion for railroad to connect Abuja to Kano, $16 billion for electricity. My fellow Nigerians, you cant even find the name of the companies awarded these contracts on the internet. These companies did not even do a fly over to fake a design of what they will build. Now, our so called Senators and Reps has investigated these contracts and what is the out come? Nothing! And you are rejoicing for N4 billion, not dollars, Naira! Shame on you!
It is so sad that money being provided by the land of Niger Delta is being wasted. This government seem not to know what to do other than sharing the countries wealth amongst friends and cronies. Niger Delta children are dying from contaminated water, yet the government is collecting billions every month from oil. How long is this going to go on? How can you talk about “amnesty” without tackling the issue that caused the agitation in the first place? We need to see blue prints of the roads, schools, things that will improve the lives of these people for a permanent solution to be achieved. This is the 21st century, any company getting contracts should have a website where Nigerians can see the plan, progress of the project they are working on. We need companies that has the wherewithal to execute projects of that magnitude. Julius Berger has rubbished Nigeria enough. For Enugu Airport I RECOMMEND http://www.griffithcompany.net. God Bless Us ALL.
etep007@gmail.com
Thank you Mr.President for atleast remembering the South Easterners.You must live long long for doling out N4 Billion for the uprading of Akanu Ibiam Airport to an International Status.The amount earmaked is big but in Nigerian way of handling pubic resources cum fund is too meagre but I believe that since Mr.President initiated the project,one day our good leader can still do something.Long Live the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Chief Anayor Ajator writes from South Africa.