When late president Yaradua approved Enugu airport to become an international airport, expectations were high.
The South East region looked forward to a modernized and standard built aviation hub that will drive trade and economic development for the South East sub region.
Despite best efforts the Akanu Ibiam International Airport has not fully taken off. Sabotage and stunted growth became its full name.
Activities slowed down some days. International flights only left once weekly.
Major international Airlines due to poor infrastructure refused to use Enugu international airport.
The people of South East have not seen the airport become a proper functional international entry and exit point.
Compared with other International Airports in the six geopolitical zone Enugu’s international airport remains uncompleted, plagued by poor infrastructure and periodic closure for runway repairs leaving the airport and the people of the South East shortchanged.
Travellers suffered during periods of closure.
The people have had the airport closed several times because of its deplorable runway.
A vast majority of the airport infrastructure remains uncompleted.
There is zero cargo terminal. 15 years after president Jonathan on October 19 2010 approved through the federal executive council for the upgrade of the airport facility and despite the intervention by late president Buhari in building the runway and recently the government of Tinubu ordered repairs on the runway the airport has not delivered optimal service to the people of South East and West Africa subregion.
Poor funding and institutional weakness left the airport having a form of godliness and denying its power thereof.
Despite being a region known for its business prowess,never ending business activities and trade visibility; the south east transportation hub has not benefitted from the international status of the Airport.
Importers and exporters have no infrastructure backbone to aid their trade and economic activities.
They have no option than to operate from Lagos making South East lose billions in regional and international trade deals and job losses. Spare parts trade alone is worth over 200M dollars monthly and is lost to the non availability of a cargo terminal.
The collaboration between the federal government and Enugu state government under the leadership of Governor Peter Mbah who is implementing an infrastructure re engineering of Enugu through the establishment of Enugu Air and expansion of transportation hub in the state has cleared the path for Akanu Ibiam International Airport (AIIA) to rise from despair.
Enugu now has the supporting infrastructure to protect the regional asset and AIIA is the asset of the eastern heartland and must be protected at all costs.
The private and public partnership PPP which is a globally accepted model which will now transfer the financial burden of the infrastructure upgrade to Aero Alliance to completely turn around the international airport while federal and state government retain supervisory control is a step in the right direction.
The government has made sure no worker lost his or her job.
The symbiotic relationship between the Enugu state government and the federal government is proof that connecting to the centre and being on the table of national discussion is a master stroke.
The willingness of the federal government to get Enugu international airport viable and productive is lucid and must be commended.
The concession agreement signed between federal government, Enugu State government and Aero alliance will lead to the complete building of a new cargo terminal that will allow bigger aircrafts both for trade and passenger planes to use Enugu international airport thereby opening up the South East and Enugu state in particular to increased business activities and more job opportunities for our people in spare parts, pharmaceuticals, ICT, etc. It’s an endless possibility.
Enugu and South East businesses especially manufacturers in spare parts, pharmaceutical and other businesses will celebrate this concession as it will make business easier for them allowing local content and integration of our people in the import and export value chain.
The Enugu State government, ICRC (Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission) and the ministry of Aviation and Aerospace development have opened up a new business vista for Ndi Enugu and South East thus ending over 15 years of poor infrastructure and perpetual scaffolding condition of Akanu Ibiam International Airport.
The days and months ahead is laced with possibilities of a new cargo terminal, no more arbitrary closure of the Enugu State International Airport, improved user experience and attraction of over 10 million visitors annually to Enugu.
A safer regional aviation hub that will be attractive to Airline operators and businesses all over the world is in the offing.
Enugu and South East is ready for business.
Tomorrow is indeed here.
Eze Chinweuba
Mbuze 1 of Neke
