By Dickson Omobola
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has disclosed how Governor Alex Otti of Abia State rejected a Federal Government plan to build an airstrip in the state and instead opted for a full-fledged international airport.
Keyamo also revealed that negotiations were ongoing for the first direct international cargo flight from Guangzhou, China, to the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu.
He said the federal government had initially proposed an airstrip for Abia State and captured the project in the 2024 budget as part of efforts to expand aviation infrastructure across the country.
He spoke at the official unveiling of two Boeing 737-800NG aircraft acquired by United Nigeria Airlines in Lagos.
The minister said the decision followed his recommendation to President Bola Tinubu that Abia State lacked both an airport and an airstrip.
He added, however, that Otti approached the President with a proposal to upgrade the project into an international airport through a counterpart funding arrangement.
Keyamo said: “When we came to power, I went to Mr President saying Abia does not have an airstrip or an airport in the whole of the South-East. So, he told me to put it in the budget. In the 2024 budget, we put the Abia airstrip as one of our first projects.
“However, credit to Dr Alex Otti, who did not stop at that. He went straight to Mr President behind me and said, ‘Sir, bring the money for the airstrip, I have counterpart funding. I will now make it a full international airport.’ He said, ‘Don’t give me an airstrip, but bring the money. With counterpart funding, I will build a full-fledged international airport in Umauhia, Abia State. That project has taken off under his guidance. In fact, Abia has brought more money than the federal government.”
On direct cargo flights from Guangzhou to Enugu, he said: “They (Enugu State government) want to make it (Enugu Airport) a cargo hub for the whole of the South-East.
“We are negotiating for the first flight from Guangzhou straight to Enugu in December. I am working with the governor of Enugu State. It will enable all traders, especially our brothers from the South-East who do business in China, to go twice every week, put all their goods into one cargo, and have it go straight from Guangzhou to Enugu. Then it can be delivered to Onitsha and Aba.”
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