As the Tanko Al-makura-led administration prepares to wind up in Nasarawa state, the question on the lips of many is whether the government can walk its talk about the completion of the proposed international cargo it started four years ago. MOHAMMED YANGIDA reports that the governor is set to live his talk.
Assessing the impact of Lafia International cargo airport project
October 19th, 2015 was the day Governor Umaru Tanko Al-makura of Nasarawa state signed a Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) with an engineering company in Nigeria for the construction of the Lafia International Cargo Airport, a project the governor has in many fora justified its essence, saying that he has no regret whatsoever to execute.
Consequently on Friday 11th December, 2015, the governor flagged off the construction of this cargo airport project in Lafia, the capital of Nasarawa state.
The proposed cargo airport, according to available information, is to cost the state government the sum of (N17,599,797,729.34) only. And considering the huge capital requirement for executing the project, the government decided to take this bold move by entering by signing the MOU with Messrs Tongyo Engineering Nigeria Limited.
Under this agreement, the partner had agreed to inject 75 percent of the total cost of the airport project, while the state government is to provide 25 percent of the cost within six years.
This project, when completed, would serve both the civil and cargo operations. It would also open up the state through development because of its proximity to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Abuja, with the attendant influx of people and obvious strain on the available infrastructural facilities at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport.
But the project had received so much criticism by individuals in the state describing the project as an abuse of priority by Governor Al-makura. The critics say that the airport project had no direct bearing on the lives of the common people of Nasarawa, a state that is purely agrarian in nature.
The argument was that instead of building a cargo airport, the government should have channelled the fund into constructing an airstrip for dignitaries and use the remaining fund earmarked for the project to provide other basic infrastructure that would spread across the state.
However, in a contrary opinion Barr Ubandoma Abdullahi Ubandoma, ADC candidate for Lafia/ Obi Federal Constituency said whoever criticises the construction of the cargo airport is entitled to his own opinion, saying, “When people go into issues on the basis of sentiments, they completely lose track about the essence of what an enlightened debate should be. But as a right thinking person we must put sentiment and party difference aside and face the reality; we must support Al-makura in this initiative because this is Al-makura’s lasting legacy, a pride to every well-meaning citizen of the state. Already, he has many legacies but as for the airport, we would not see its importance now but in the nearest future,” Ubandoma said.
Continuing further, he said, “Besides, Al-makura is not using the state’s fund but investor’s funds and he cannot reject such opportunity to develop our state where the investor’s will inject 75 percent of the total cost and the state will put in only 25 percent percent of the cost. Lafia International cargo airport will definitely open up the state for greater opportunities,” he maintained.
The whole idea of this gigantic project was informed by the desire of the Al-makura-led administration to create a formidable platform for transportation of both domestic and international passengers and goods for the socio- economic development of the state. It is also with the intention of serving as a means for easy evacuation of the abundant agricultural produce and solid minerals resources that are abundant in the state.
This reality has given the state an opportunity to provide alternative to the infrastructural deficit suffered by the FCT, and will unbundle the economic potentials of not only the state, but the North-central geo-political zones of the country.
Al-makura justifies the move
Gov Almakura, however insisted that the N17 billion gigantic cargo airport project is neither a luxury nor a waste of resources but a dream comes true, maintaining that the whole idea is borne out of the desire of the state to meet up with other states of the federation through development that have direct bearing on the lives of its people. He insisted that no amount of criticism can put a hold on the project but must be completed and commissioned before his exit on May 29, 2019. He announced recently that the most difficult aspect of the project has been completed.
While enumerating the economic importance of airport aside the attraction of investment, he said the airport will also serve as an alternative terminus to the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport Abuja and will assist in the decongestion and remove the continuous overstretching of the facilities at the nation’s capital airport.
He added that link roads would also be constructed to join the FCT and the airport which would take an hour to navigate as against the over three hours to Kaduna airport, which is currently the closest to the territory.
By implication, the airport in Lafia is expected to witness robust patronage that will open vistas for more economic activities, employment generation, increased revenue inflow and as well attract investors into the state.
In the same vein, it will alleviate the suffering of people who have travelled elsewhere to board flights for pilgrimages to the Holy lands and other International engagements. This project, therefore, according to analysts, is not only desirable, but will serve the socio-economic needs of the state.
“About 80 percent of the 2.4- kilometre runway has been completed while work on the terminal is ongoing. This is a project I consider a landmark of my administration and I want to put everything in place to ensure it is completed within my tenure.
“As soon as the structure is completed, the installation of navigational equipment, which has already been acquired, would be fixed. It will be ready for test run by early May and I would take a maiden flight at this airport,” Almakura assured.
However, Blueprint investigation shows that the possibility of inaugurating the airport project for usage may not be feasible in May especially as almost 30 percent of the work area is still lying fallow, where as the tenure of the current administration is almost over as May 29 is less than two months away. This is even as he had earlier assured people of the state about his readiness towards construction and completing the airport in 12 months.
“My administration is committed and really serious about this airport. By May 29, we shall have a story to tell to the entire country that we have a cargo airport on ground,” he had said.
I will continue from where Al-makura stops – Gov-elect
But Engr Abdullahi Sule who is the governor-elect to pilot the affairs of Nasarawa state for the next four year has, however, promised to consolidate on the achievements recorded by the outgoing administration of Al-makura in order to sustain the implementation of people-oriented programmes for the benefit of all and sundry.
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