The recently built airport facility in Onueke, Ebonyi State, will create opportunities for development in neighbouring states like Cross River, Abia and Enugu, owing to proximity, writes Chinedu Eze
It was like a dream come true for the people of the state when on Thursday, April 17, 2023 the first flight from a commercial airline, Air Peace landed at the now christened Muhammdu Buhari International Airport, Onueke, Ebonyi State.
The elation, the excitement and anticipation were like paint work on the faces of the citizens, their friends and other Nigerian who graced the inaugural ceremony at the airport. Perhaps, only a clairvoyant could predict eight years ago that the massive farm land of Onueke could transmute to hosting such state-of-the-art airport facility within a few years time. This was why the reality sank reluctantly in many Ebonyi citizens. Governments in Nigeria are known to say so much that merely dwell in memory afterwards. Many promises are never implemented. But the Ebonyi airport rather than dwell in memory has become the daily reality of the people of the state. That was reminiscent of the day the first Arik Air aircraft landed at the Uyo airport. The crowd that thronged the new airport showed that development rekindles hope, expectation and appreciation.
The people of Ebonyi State, including acerbic critics could not seize to eulogize the governor of the state, Dave Umahi, whom many described as a visioner and action man. Many of the indigenes of the state agreed that Umahi in eight years of his governorship, catapulted the state from one of the least developed in Nigeria to one of the best states in the country. In terms of infrastructure, Umahi raised the state capital, Abakaliki, to number one city with the most modern infrastructure. It was the same vision that birthed the Ebonyi airport.
Although criticisms have trailed the establishment of new airports by state governments in recent times but there are some airports built by states that become catalyst to economic development.
Some of such airports include Asaba airport, Anambra airport, Umueri and Uyo airport. These airports justified the investment of the state governments because they met the utility objectives of their establishment, which include the generation of revenues that sustain their operation, facilitating fast movement of businessmen and women and other travellers that use the airport. They also created job opportunities for the indigenes of the states.
The newly built Muhammadu Buhari International Airport, Onueke, falls into this category because it has huge potential market from four states, including Enugu, Cross River and Abia in addition to many Ebonyi people who travel to Enugu and Imo to connect flights to different domestic destinations.
The Asaba airport was given out in concession about two years ago and the concessionaire has brought innovation into airport management. Anambra airport, Umueri became a very important aerodrome that two airlines that operate to the airport break even with over 70 per cent load factor in every flight.
Yes, there are state built airports that could not generate revenues to sustain their operation or even sustain regular flights to the facilities and some of these airports were taken over by the federal government and handed over to the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) where they become huge fiscal burden to agency.
What is different about the Ebonyi airport is that it has travellers in waiting and with its unveiling, it is well positioned to serve the people.
The Features
The technical supervisor of the airport, Mr. Emmanuel Chukwu, told THISDAY that the runway length is 3.1 kilometers by 75 meters but the active part of the 75 meters is 60 meters, while the shoulders are 15 meters, but unlike other airports, the shoulders are the same strength with the main runway. It is only the marking that will separate them. He said the airport was built with 14 inches reinforced concrete and it should be the first concrete runway in Nigeria.
Chukwu said the control tower has nine floors, disclosing that all the equipment has been deployed and the installation of the consul has started, as the cabin that would host the consul has arrived.
He added that the perimeter fencing is 16 kilometers radius. It is a completed blockwork with anti-climb facilities. Installation of airfield lighting is currently on-going and it is Category 2 and the installation is on both sides of the runway and work at the airport would be completed before end of June, 2023.
“The airport has full navigation aids and also has all the ground handling equipment so the state government has completed plans for Skyway Aviation Handling Company Plc (SAHCO) to provide manpower to manage the ground handling services and Ebonyi state government plans to sign MoU with the company to train Ebonyi citizens and license them to work at the airport under the supervision of SAHCO. The airport is also working with the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to provide Aerodrome Rescue and Fire Fighting Services and also Aviation Security. Ebony citizens will also be trained and licensed by the agency to provide these services. The airport terminal has 12 warehouses for cargo processing and the apron has 133,000 square meters,” he said.
Potential Market
The Ebonyi airport will serve four states, including Ebonyi and also will provide opportunity to many people who would wish to travel by air but did not have the opportunity because before now, no airport was located close to the communities. Chukwu said many communities in the southern part of Enugu state, like Mpu community, Abiriba, Okigwe and adjoining communities in Abia state, Itigidi, Ogoja in Cross River state would all go to the Ebonyi airport to travel to Abuja and Lagos.
“The major advantage that airport has is that roads that connect it to all these communities mentioned are tarred. Governor Umahi concentrated on the infrastructural rejuvenation of the state and built roads to connect neigbouring states. The airport will hugely benefit from that foresight. Ebonyi also has ancillary services that will support the airport. The state intends to build monorail to connect the airport from the southern and northern regions. The monorail would benefit King David University of Medical Services, Uburu and Igbere where expectedly many people will be travelling from on regular basis. The university has been taken over by the federal government,” Chukwu added.
Investment
Addressing Ebonyi citizens at the inaugural ceremony on April 27th, the out-going governor of the state, Umahi said the airport was specially built because of the way it was conceived and designed
“I must thank Mr. President, Muhammadu Buhari for the support he gave us to make this airport possible. Even when we were challenged and there was no money anywhere for our equipment, he wrote a letter to the Ministry of Fnance. He said you must find money, even if it is loan, this airport must stand. And let me say that the name of this airport was approved by the State House of Assembly and Mr. Speaker is a witness to that.The name of the airport is President Muhammed Buhari International Airport.
“If you say Buhari is not good for you, Buhari is good for me. Buhari is good for Ebonyi State and so we love him and we thank him for the success of this airport. We thank also the Hon. Minister of Aviation, who was so delighted with this project, that even at the end of the first tenure, he wasn’t sure whether he would come back or not, but he said, “look, if I don’t make it back to that Ministry, we will tell whoever is coming to sign the approval.”
According to him, “This is the fastest airport approval in the whole of Nigeria, thanks to the Minister of Aviation. When we started our second tenure, we came as state leaders and we say we want to do mega projects, one in the north, one in the central and one in the south. And so we said we will build a stadium that is the biggest in Nigeria, we will build a university that is the best in the whole of West Africa and we will build the best airport. And so we started the university in the south, today it is a success. We thank president Buhari. We started the stadium. When we started this project, we completed the university and we were challenged with funds. The speaker came and begged me and said, let the project in the north, which is the stadium wait, let us complete this airport. It is with a good heart, he didn’t care about the consequences as speaker from the north, what his people would say but he preferred that we do this that is in the central. It is because of exposure, it is because of a good heart. Because the airport is for everybody, it is even beyond the people of Eboyin State.”
To complete the airport, Umahi said the state government had to borrow money and gave kudos to the House of Assembly, especially the speaker who supported the airport project to make sure it was completed.
“The project cost, this entire thing is so far 36 billion, including the equipment. We have the best equipment in this country and anybody can challenge us.And so what is remaining now is the airfield lighting which we have paid for both for the taxiway and the runway. And so work continues on that, and that is why we have just awarded the taxiway. We don’t need to award the taxiway because the width of the runway is very unusual. But we needed to make this place to be the best and to meet global standard. So the job is going to start next week in this place. But let me say this that going forward from the first week of May we intend to fund free of charge, two aircraft per week, two from Lagos, two from Abuja.Anyone that will use this place, you don’t need to pay any money. You don’t need to pay, just know the dates of flights, you will come here, and those who are taking off from here, same aircraft.
“You don’t need to pay; we will continue to pay for the next four weeks. And I know that the enthusiasm of the governor elect, he will continue this because he has a large heart. Until this airport becomes the busiest airport in the country. And let me announce also that Mr President will be coming in less than 10 days to commission this airport. And we have offered this airport again to Mr President, for the federal government to take it over and concession it. That is what will help the airport to be busy and that is what will sustain the airport. Government is not a good Manager of business but what is our interest, the IGR that will come from it,” the governor said.
Umahi also commended Air Peace for pulling two of its aircraft from schedule service and deployed them to Ebonyi State to mark the inaugural flight. He also commended the Chairman and CEO of Air Peace, Allen Onyema for his philanthropic activities and recalled how the airline evacuated Nigerians from South Africa during the Xenophobia riots, the evacuations during the Covid-19 crisis and other humanitarian activities embarked by the airline to support Nigeria, noting that Onyema is a pan Nigerian who believes in the country.
The optimism that the Muhammadu Buhari International Airport will become a major airport in the near future was supported by many Ebonyi citizens who spoke to THISDAY, saying that the airport is a necessity in the state.
