X-raying the emerging Abia Airport city and it’s new vistas of development
By Ogbonnaya Ikokwu
Transportation is one of the enablers of development because it facilitates the movement of people and goods for socio-economic growth.
The modern economy depends largely on the transportation ecosystem for survival, be it land, sea or air.
Abia State, as the economic and industrial hub of the Southeast for several decades, deserves to be connected to other parts of the country and the world at large through the various means of transportation.
But unfortunately the state has been bedeviled with bad road networks. The state had faced the risk of being cut off from other states in the country, following the collapse of all the federal roads and rail lines criss-crossing through its space.
It took the interverntion of the former President Mohammadu Buhari’s administration to intervene in the reconstruction of the Enugu Port Harcourt Expressway, Aba-Ikot Ekpene Road, and Umuahia-Ikot Ekpene Road, which are still ongoing.
Gov. Alex Otti has also awarded the Arochukwu-Ohafia Road, Port Harcourt Road, Aba, a section of Umuahia-Owerri Road and the expansion of Umuikaa-Owerri Road.
Rail transportation has gone moribund in the South-East, while the state has never had a seaport or an airport.
This is why transportation has become a major challenge in Abia, even as internal roads linking many towns and villages in the state were also in terrible state of disrepair before the coming of the current administration.
Coming to Abia by air has been a mission impossible, hence President Bola Ahmed Tinubu thought in that direction and approved the construction of an airstrip in the state.
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace development Barr. Festus Keyamo revealed this on December 17, in a speech at the ground breaking ceremony for the Abia Airport at Nsulu in Isialangwa North Local Government Area.
He pointed out that President Tinubu wants all the states in the to be accessed through the aerospace and consequently he gave the approval for the construction of an airstrip for the state in the 2024 budget estimate.i
Keyamo emphasised that the new airport would serve as a major catalyst for sustaining Abia state as the commercial hub for the Southeast region, pointing out that Abia was the only state in the region without an airport.
He said President Tinubu had a deep commitment to ensuring that no region of Nigeria was left behind in terms of development, saying that the president was determined to address infrastructure gaps in the South-East.
He said, “President Tinubu has made it clear that he doesn’t want any part of Nigeria to be cheated. When I briefed him on the state of the aviation sector, he immediately raised the issue of Abia not having an airport and asked why there was no airport in the state.”
Good enough the proposal for the construction of the Abia Airport came at a time when Gov. Otti, who understands the need for partnership in the strategic development of the state is in the saddle.
He not only welcomed the airstrip project, but further appealed for it to be expanded to a full fledge international airport.
Gov. Otti’s intervention in the project is not intended to score a cheap political point, he is just making hay while the sun still shines.
Thank God that the president saw reason with the governor and expanded the scope of the project to a full international airport.
However, Gov. Otti is apparently looking beyond the airport and has seen an airport city with it’s numerous potentials to promote other ancillary development in the state.
It is obvious that the huge development aspiration of the governor would be impeded without an international airport to serve most of the important urban destinations in the state.
Recall that the governor had announced that the state had reached an understanding with a major global hospitality brand to turn the long abandoned Enyimba Hotel into a 250-room five-star facility with a world class convention centre.
The success of the investment would be threatened, if it cannot be accessed seamlessly from an airport close to the project.
The governor further hinted that the state had also reached an understanding with an investment partner to drive the Abia medical city project.
The project is billed to formally take off within the first quarter of 2025.
“The full value of the medical city project, designed to drastically reduce medical tourism by providing access to first rate services domestically, can only be actualised with a functional airport not far from the project locationthe governor had said.
It is important to note that the infrastructure restoration and expansion project in Aba happening at a great speed is already attracting quality investments into the city as well as inquiries from multiple business interests that hope to take advantage of the bursts of fresh opportunities to create value for their shareholders.
The Abia airport will, therefore, serve as an added advantage to the appeal of Aba as an important destination in the West African sub-region.
Umuahia, the State capital, is also seeing a significant turnaround in infrastructure as Otti’s administration has continued to reset the city into a thriving business and administrative centre.
Beyond Aba and Umuahia, the governor also set up the Greater Ohafia Development Authority (GODA) to fast track the transformation of Ohafia and other parts of the northern district of the state.
The expectation is that GODA will evolve initiatives that private sector players can jump at to create new possibilities in the northern part of the state.
An airport in Abia, particularly at Nsulu, will not only accelerate Gov.Otti’s urbanisation agenda beyond Aba and Umuahia, it will also send a clear signal to the world that the state is open and prepared to rise to ‘a higher plane’ in the race for social and economic transformation of its homeland.
Speaking during the groundbreaking event, Gov. Otti commended the Chief of Airstaff, Air Marshall HB Abubakar, represented by Air Vice Marshall Ilo, for his consistent support and approving an air force base to be located here at the airport.
He said: “We are building an airport city with a lot of ancillary developments around it. The Nsulu games village is in this community, other facilities, including hotels will follow suit.
“With the scope of our development agenda, the volume of investments we anticipate and the projected influx of high net-worth individuals to the state for businesses, conferences and events, or even for holidays, investing in an airport is certainly the right decision.”
It has to be pointed out that an airport is not just the preferred means of travel for the elite, it is a safer and more economical mode of transportation for those who want to make every second count. It is also the fastest means to transport essential goods.
There is no doubt that when the Abia Airport is completed in the next 36 months, Nsulu, the host community, will experience an unimaginable rate of development, including employment opportunities for the natives, road expansion and big market to sale their farm produce.
They will also benefit from other social amenities that come to the area as a result of the airport, like hospitals and improved security.
Nsulu community is expected to own the project given the fact that Gov. Otti has promised to pay reasonable compensation to genuine land owners in the area.
This is the reason, all well-meaning Abians, including members of the National Assembly should sustain their efforts and support to President Bola Tinubu and Gov. Otti to ensure that the airport is realised in record time and put into full economic use.
#Gov. Otti is Building the new Abia!
#To God be glory!
Ogbonnaya Ikokwu, a journalist and public affairs analyst, writes from Umuahia.