Pace of work at Anambra Airport worrisome as Adamawa plans airport in Mubi
More than six months after the government of Anambra State sealed an International Cargo Airport Development at Umuleri with a Chinese group; progress of construction activities is becoming worrisome to not only host community, but many Anambra citizens.
Besides, the Governor of Adamawa State, Mohammed Bindow has said his administration has commenced plans to build an airport in Mubi area of the state to boost economic activities in the state.
Checks by Business Hilights South East Bureau chief at the Umuleri Airport City Scheme, Umuleri showed serious drop in activities as weeds have taken over a substantial part of the massive land taken for the multi-billion naira project.
Efforts to find out why work at the airport is very hard to assess at the government house failed as many of the Commissioners that were sworn in claimed not yet settled so as to get the needed briefs to respond to questions on the airport.
Explaining more on Mubi Airport scheme while conducting officials of the Federal Ministry of Transportation around the project’s proposed site, Bindow noted that the decision by the state government to build the airport is informed by the fact that commercial activities have shifted to Mubi.
He stressed that “This project will bring multiple socio-economic benefits to the state. It will boost the economy of the state in particular and that of Nigeria in general. We also hope the project will attract an Air Force base for security surveillance within Mubi area and its neighbourhood.’’
Continuing, the Governor averred that the construction of an airport would enhance transportation of goods within and outside Nigeria.
The Governor disclosed that already, two investors had already indicated interest in partnering with the state government on the project, which is to be funded through Public Private Partnership (PPP).
In his remarks after a tour of the proposed site, Capt Talba Alkali, the leader of the team from the Federal Ministry of Transportation, said that they were in the area to assess the site physically.
Alkali said going by the Nigerian Aviation Act 2016 which allowed individuals, state governments and the Federal Government to own airports, the ministry is duty bound to consider the state government’s application by this Act.
While noting that the project site covered six square kilometers, the Permanent Secretary, Adamawa State Ministry of Works, Alhaji Sulaiman Mohammed, said the width of the site was 3.2 kilometres, while the runway measurement was 2.4 kilometres. He said that the critical aircraft was Boeing 737.
