ON Saturday August 24, the Ethiopian Airline landed
at the newly upgraded Dr. Akanu Ibiam International Airport Enugu, to herald
its international operations in the former capital of Eastern Nigeria.
The fact remains that though the exercise was commendable,
it has several dissenting voices on the quality of standard of the airport
tagged ‘international’ as to whether that was the request of the people or an
effort by the government at the centre to simply appease the Eastern
population, known for their commercial ingenuity.
Reports have it that prior to the launch of the
international flight that the arrival and departure halls were ready, in
addition to the screening check point for the international wing. Just as
relevant security agencies namely the Nigeria Custom, Immigrations, National
Drug Law Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA), and the State Security Service (SSS) were
visibly on ground.
Despite that a cross section of Nigerians, particularly the
easterners were delighted to the President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan for
fulfilling the dream of the people of the South East to have an international
airport, some expressed dismay in the standards of the acclaimed international
airport.
A staff of the College of Medicine, University of Nigeria,
Mr. Obinna Ochi, had told newsmen that the take-off of the airport means a lot
to the economy of the zone. Stressing that “It means that our economy will
start to boom. It will also save us the time and resources expended in going to
Lagos and Abuja before one could travel abroad. I think it’s fantastic. I feel
happy and I must say it is a welcome development.”
Equally, the Chairman, Tracy Hotels Ltd Awka, Anambra State,
Chief Dilim Okafor, noted that its gladdening that easterners have access to
the outside world. “But we still expect
bigger airlines .…
However, we expect airlines like Emirates … I am a regular
traveler and most Igbo traders too; so the Federal Government should negotiate
with Emirates so they can be coming to Enugu too.”
So, he hailed President Jonathan for this effort, “because
there was a deliberate attempt by previous administrations to lock the South
East zone up but he decided to liberate us and we are happy, about the
development.”
For Chief Okafor, the South East also needs better roads
“because, if cargo flights land here, the goods have to be transported to
Onitsha, Aba or anywhere; through which road? So, road is another thing that
must accompany this laudable effort of President Jonathan to Igbos.”
President of Igbo Youth Movement (IYM), Evangelist Elloit
Uko, equally commended President Jonathan for the airport, but pleaded for the
acceleration of work on other promises like, functional seaport at Onitsha and
Oguta. Pointing out that the key word here is “functional” adding that Enugu
will experience a new economic life with the international wing taking off.
“We are grateful to President Jonathan for fulfilling this
one. We plead that he and his team accelerates on the other promises. We are
grateful for that. We appreciate the positive impact the international airport
will have on the economy of the South East. It is important to note that when
we plead that campaign promises be fulfilled we are not by any means suggesting
that the government should address South East issues at the expense of other
Zones.
An elder statesman and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN),
Chief Enechi Onyia, expressed dismay over the state of the supposed
international airport, arguing that his concern goes beyond having a mere
airport for airports sake. Maintaining that he led a delegation to former
President Olusegun Obasanjo about on the state of the airport about 10 years
ago, and what is now commissioned was not what was bargained for, hence he was
disappointed.
“I am not interested on something being done, I will be interested
that a good thing has been done; once a good thing has been done, then I am
interested. But if you deceive people telling them you are building airport and
it is not what is expected, what do you want me to do? I am urging government
to do its duty, that’s all. They have a duty, don’t beg them. They think these
are amenities you beg for; that if they bring it to Enugu it is for Enugu
people, it’s not true,” he said.
Onyia insisted that the president of Nigeria is the
president for the whole Nigeria, so every Nigerian must be properly cared for.
Unfortunately, he lamented that Nigerians will always jubilate when such things
are done, ‘thank God he has remembered us,” Maintaining that President of any
given country should remember the citizenry every day.
Also reacting, Amadiebube Robert Mbama, pointed out that a
journey of a thousand miles starts with the first step; Urging the Easterners
to commend the government on this project so as to encourage the leadership to
do more for the region.
“If you praise a person for what the person did the person
will do more,” he declared, adding that there is nothing wrong being critical,
but it must be realize that this whole development is a step in the right
direction. Asserting, “The economic, psychological, emotional and political
ramifications are unquantifiable.”
Equally reacting, Mazi Obi, commended Chief Enechi Onyia,
for speaking out on this project and expressed gratitude to God that Nigerians,
and mostly the Igbo still have Igbo leaders like Enechi Onyia. Declaring, “We
have large numbers of diaspora Igbos who know what an International Airport
looks like but they are all celebrating over what he described as ‘nonesense’
erected by the Federal Government (FG).
He condemned those who will say that “half bread is better
than none” wondering why and endorsed Chief Onyia’s position.
*By DSBNews Correspondent, with additional reports from Petrus Obi.
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