Sir: When our State government announced that there would be inaugural flight into the new Ibom Airport scheduled for the 23rd of September 2009, as part of the activities marking the anniversary of creation of Akwa Ibom, we were all very happy. That fateful day, many Akwa Ibomites trouped out in their droves to witness the epoch making event. At about 11.20am, that day, an Arik Airliner landed and it was a joyous moment for us. Almost all who-is-who in Akwa Ibom were there; including the originator of the project, former governor Obong Victor Attah.
One of our own, the Deputy Chairman of Arik Airlines Limited, Obong Aniette Okon, while commenting on the project, hinted that the Airline would invest 30billion Naira in the airport project. He did not get much ovation because he could not elaborate on this and most people present tried to phantom how because we were already informed by our State Governor that the project would in total cost 45billion Naira and that all the fund required were (all) almost released by the government. There was the mention of additional 52million US Dollars cost above the original cost which the government tried to defend but unsatisfactorily though.
Nevertheless, full commercial flight operations into the Ibom Airport started on 2nd December, 2009. But a new twist has just been introduced whereby Arik Air through the revelation in the Independent newspaper of Saturday, January 2, 2010, and Leadership newspaper of January 5, 2010, suspended flights to Uyo for reason that Akwa Ibom owed it. Independent further revealed that Akwa Ibom government entered into unworthy agreement with the airline whereby instead of it (government) earning from the airport, it was government paying the airline for flying into the airport. I am sure no one would understand this and most would describe it a day-light robbery.
Governor Akpabio should not only explain this but also sincerely confirm when the Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) aspect of the airport project would be fully commissioned because we are aware of the claim by the last administration that it paid upfront for the components which have since arrived Uyo. One would like to also know if the claim is incorrect.
Emem Idong,
RCC Road,
Eket-Akwa Ibom
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