…Minister says airport projects cater to the
needs of the affluent in society, not the poor.
The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has advised state governments across the country to focus on projects that would benefit the generality of the nation’s poor and downtrodden, instead of
pursuing ventures that further serve the interests of
the elite. The Minister specifically called for caution in the
area of new airport, saying no governor should
embark on such project now unless the socio-
economic fortune of such a state and the country
can support new or additional airport. Mr. Amaechi made gave the advice at the weekend
in Abeokuta, the Ogun state capital, while fielding
questions from reporters after he carried out an
assessment of some projects executed by the state
government on behalf of the federal government. Despite the economic downturn occasioned by crashing price of oil in the international market,
some state governors, precisely Tanko Al-Makura
(Nasarawa) and Ayodele Fayose (Ekiti) have
embarked on multi-billion airport projects in their
respective states. Stressing that airport project is elitist and would not
relieve the poor of their suffering, the Minister said
that Nigeria already has many airports that have
proven to be unviable. “Governors should focus on those things that
would improve on the lives of the poor, not the
rich. It’s the rich people that fly plane. How many
poor people know where airport is much more fly
an aircraft?” he queried. “I believe that the construction of airport should be
backed by the growth of the economy. There are
some airports that are constructed just for the governors to land and take off. That won’t be the
idea for me as minister of transportation. “I’d prefer that all airports that are constructed would be backed by economic demand. And when
we look at the numbers, if the numbers add up…We
would not discourage Ogun State if you like to
construct an airport, but we would like to advise
that they should look at the economics of an
airport”, Amaechi said. The former Rivers State governor, however, assured of Federal Government’s commitment
towards the completion of new terminals of the
nation’s four international airports in Abuja, Lagos, Port Harcourt and Kano. He also assured the Ogun State Government of the
Federal Government’s support if it wants to build an
airport. Mr. Amaechi, who disclosed that he was in the state
primarily to ascertain some of the roads
constructed by the state government on behalf of
Federal Government, added that the construction of
railway between Lagos and Calabar as well as
Lagos and Kano would commence this year. “I am convinced that most of the roads have been
constructed. By the time we write the report, we
have engineers, we have people from the Public
Procurement Department, they would assess the
cost and put it in the report”, he said. Earlier, Governor Ibikunle Amosun solicited the
support of the Minister in ensuring the completion
of the abandoned airport project in Ewekoro local
government area of the state. He said: “It’s being built by Federal Government. In
fact it is the oldest airport they have in Nigeria. It
was done in 1940/41; that was what they were
using during the World War and that’s why we
have the Commonwealth cemetery there.
Somehow, after the war, nobody said anything about it. “But 12 years ago, Federal Government started
again. Everything has been done. Contractors have even been mobilised to site before they stopped
funding it. “Ogun State is the industrial hub of Nigeria. There is
no nation that would develop if the industries are
not there. Even in the radius of 5km, in US, we have
even about four airports, we have even examples
in London. “But for us, it is not just for the governor to land;
people would want to move their goods and
services, people will want to come and that’s why
we need an airport here. And in any case, the
airport in Lagos, where can they expand to? It’s
congested”.
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Stop Embarking On Airport Projects, Amaechi Advises State GovtsCreated at 2016-02-10
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