Having ran the multibillion naira Asaba International Airport for years and discovered that government is never a good driver of enterprise, the Delta State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, has flagged off moves to handover the facility to private sector for management.
Already, the opened bid to concession the saw two consortia, FIDMA/MA and AIMS leading and may possible win the management of the facility build by the state government on Asaba-Onitsha highway.
In his remarks during the recent opening of the bids by the airport concessioning transaction adviser, Halcrow Infrastructure Nigeria Limited, Senator Okowa made it clear that government’s target in concessioning the facility is to create a scenario that will see the airport managed effectively in line with international standards.
Represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Festus Ovie Agas, the Governor averred that “We are happy with the interest of various consortia for the Asaba Airport concession and want to reassure you that the bids will be diligently analysed by the transaction advisers.
“As a government, we are committed to building an effective and efficient airport and to make the Asaba Airport a hub with support and cooperation of the private sector,” Okowa said maintaining that “Delta State is ready and open for business.”
In their comments, both FIDC/MA Consortium and AIMS Consortium led by Adanwimo Ezeife and Chief Onome Onokpasa, indigenous investors respectively welcomed the level of transparency and fairness in the entire bidding process.
They expressed hope of cheering news whenever the handling technical evaluation team will announce results.
