WHEN Abia State’s Chief Theodore Orji announced his government’s plan to construct an airport of international standard in the state before the expiration of his second term in office, some armchair critics and cynics did not take him seriously.

Not because the project is not feasible within the period, but in their usual cynical attitude, they did not see anything good in the project. This is when it is obvious even to a layman that the project is developmental and desirable because of its economic importance to the state and the country at large.

Since the project plan was mooted by the state government, it has sparked off debate on the social media and newspapers without any of those opposed to it putting forward any superior,  reasonable argument.

The main basis of their arguments was that with the Owerri, Port-Harcourt and Enugu airports, there is no need for another airport in Abia State. But they fail to understand or realise that there are not enough airports in the country today, and that for quick, even and proper development in line with the international economic standard, every state in the country deserves an airport of its own.

Have they forgotten that Gombe State shares common boundary with Adamawa State that has both local and international airports? But the Gombe State government during the administration of Alhaji Danjuma Goje constructed a modern airport which has since boosted the economy of the state.

Asaba Airport was recently built by Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan’s administration in Delta State. This is when the state has airport in the oil- rich city of Warri and at the same time shares a common boundary with Edo State which has an airport in the state capital, Benin City. The Delta State government,  conscious of what the people of the state want and its responsibility to them, went ahead to construct the airport in a strategic place close to Onitsha Bridge Head.

Today, the greatest users of the Asaba airport are businessmen from Anambra State, especially those of them in Onitsha Main Market, just as Aba/ Umuahia people are major users of Owerri Airport.

It is clear that when completed, the Umuahia airport will boost the economic viability of the state and attract more investors to it. There is no doubt that the proposed airport project is a right step in the right direction, especially at this period that the present government in the state has transformed and is still transforming the state through massive infrastructural developments that are already attracting local and foreign investors. With the Abia International Conference Centre nearing completion, Ibeku Ubani Modern market and other markets completed, there will be influx of investors into the state more than ever before. The airport will surely make their business transactions and movement easier because they will not need to land in Owerri airport before taking the risk of going by road to Aba or Umuahia for businesses. It will also save the investors and travellers time, and at the same time generate money and create jobs in the state.

As an expression of their eagerness and readiness to have the airport, two communities in the state had already donated 1,500 hectares of land to the state government for the project. The land which was donated by the Ikwuano, Umuahia- South and Obingwa people has undergone formal acquisition process between the state government and donor communities.

Apart from this, the state government has concluded plan on how to appreciate the donor communities in terms of employment when the project is completed and at the same agreed to pay compensation for all the cash crops destroyed when work begins. At the project site, the perimeter survey and fence had been concluded, and other construction works are ongoing gradually.

For those expressing fears on how the project will be funded, Governor Orji has made it clear that the proposed Umuahia Airport and a seaport  would be constructed  through the Public-Private-Partnership, PPP, initiative. The Governor  said “we will source the funds from PPP.’’

He  said  the state government would partner with investors who indicated interest to partner with it. He said that the process of funding the projects would be articulated in the memorandum of understanding to be signed between the government and the investors.

Obviously, the Governor’s confidence derives from the fact that both local and foreign investors have indicated interest in partnering with the state government in making the project a reality. What spurred most of the investors was the success of such initiatives in the state since the present government came into office in 2007. The state government has once again made a success of the PPP scheme which has collapsed in many states due to the failure of either the government or the investors to abide by the rules of the game. The PPP scheme is already paying off in the state with the construction of an international event centre relocated to Umuahia market.

Apart from the economic gains of such projects to both the state and investors, the conducive and secured atmosphere provided by the state government in the state is another great source of motivation for the investors. Obviously no investor will like to invest his money in a crime or violent prone environment. Since the state government tackled the menace of kidnapping in the state through various youth empowerment programmes, the state has become crime-free because most of the youths are now engaged.

The Abia example and success story in the area of PPP should be replicated in other states because due to paucity of funds and other administrative challenges, government alone cannot fund all projects, especially a massive one like the construction of a modern airport in Umuahia. Even if the project is not completed before the tenure of present government expires, there is every need for the incoming government to ensure that the project is completed because of its strategic importance to the economy and growth of the state.

ROMANUS UWA, a public affairs analyst,  wrote from Aba, Abia State.