A group, the Igbo Renaissance Forum has called on Aviation ministers and political players from the South-East that served from President Yaradua to Goodluck Jonathan’s administration to get their records handy as Ndi Igbo would be asking serious questions on the vexatious issues surrounding the Akanu Ibiam International Airport Enugu.

A statement signed by Nze Ugo-Akpe Onwuka (Oyi), International Coordinator, Igbo Renaissance Forum, titled, “Akanu Ibiam International Airport – The Day of Reckoning is Here! Said: “It is no news that from the 24th of August and over six weeks now, domestic flights to the Akanu Ibiam International Airport Enugu have been diverted to Owerri Cargo Airport, following the Federal Aviation Authorities of Nigeria’s (FAAN) regulatory framework to shut down the airport for repairs of its runway and upgrade of its facility.

“The same airport was closed from February 2010 and was formally re-opened on December 17, 2010, to enable the firm appointed by the government to begin the upgrade. The Akanu Ibiam airport project was executed in two phases; the first phase being the extension of the runway length from 2,400 metres to 3,000 metres and the width from 45 metres to 60 to enable large aircraft use it.

“The first phase was what President Goodluck Jonathan himself performed the commissioning and formally re-designated it to an international airport. The second phase was the construction of a new apron and taxiway and the upgrade of the Airfield Lighting System to Category 11.

“It is very significant to note that the Chairman, Senate Committee on Aviation, Elder Anyimchukwu Udeh, representing Ebonyi South constituency led other members of his committee to Enugu a week before the re-opening of the airport to ascertain the extent of work in the place. He expressed satisfaction with the level of work done by the contractors.

“Also very interesting is the fact that the Head of Public Affairs of the Federal Airports Authority (FAAN), Mr Atasie Nwanganga went ahead to praise the effort of the government and the contractors, pointing out that the runway project was one of the fastest to be completed in 10 months.

“On May 18th 2013, the President Goodluck Jonathan was accompanied by the Senate Chairman committee on Aviation; Hope Uzodinma and other government functionaries to the Coal City for the commissioning of the supposedly fully upgraded International Airport.

“As expected and on hand to receive President Jonathan and the ministers to the commissioning of the very first International Airport in the South East were: the Minister of Aviation Stella Odua, Minister of Labour, Deputy Senate President Ike Ekwerenmadu, all Senators from the South-East states, all Governors of the South East States: Imo, Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Host Governor of Enugu State, Deputy Speaker House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha and other Federal House of Representative members from the South East,” the statement noted.

“It is however very sad and heartbreaking that none of the people who were at that commissioning ceremony with the mandate of the masses cared to ensure that the job was of good quality and of best safety standards,” the statement declared.

Addressing what titled “What a Lost Opportunity,” the statement said that “On the 6th of April 2010 when former President Goodluck Jonathan swore in his cabinet, significantly, Mrs Fidelia Njeze from Enugu state was sworn in as the Minister for Aviation.

“In July 2011, after the start of his second term, President Goodluck Jonathan swore in his second cabinet and Stella Oduah-Ogiemwonyi from Anambra state was sworn in as the Minister for Aviation once again.

“What this means is that from the process of the contractual agreement to the technical documentation, down to the execution and commissioning of the repairs and upgrade to the Enugu International Airport, it was done between the periods these our two very opportune sisters were at the helm of affairs at the Ministry of Aviation.

“Worthy of note also is the fact that from May 2014 till the end of President Goodluck Jonathan’s tenure in 2015, Chief Osita Chidoka from Anambra state was the Aviation Minister. It is also very important to note that the current Chairman of the House Committee on Aviation is Hon. Nnolim Nnaji, representing Nkanu East/Nkanu West Federal Constituency in the House o Representatives today.

“We of the Igbo Renaissance Forum believe that from the President Yaradua days in office, when the upgrade of the Enugu Airport was muted, up until today, the South East has always had individuals who are well placed to ensure that with their involvement in the aviation industry, that a sound job is delivered at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport Enugu.

“It is rather befuddling how none of these individuals took a closer look at the issues that made Enugu Airport a death trap by Aviation industry standards in less than six years, leading to this current shut down that has plunged the South East deeper into economic repression.

“For posterity sake, we would like to state that this current closure of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport Enugu is because of the badly executed job by the same contractor, PW that has been awarded the contract again on Friday, the 13th of September, 2019.

“The Chairman of the House Committee on Aviation Hon. Nnolim Nnaji a few days before the closure of the airport on the 24th of August expressed concern over the planned closure of Enugu Airport, noting that it would have an adverse effect on the socio-economic well-being of the South East.

“He also lamented that the closure of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport was coming at a time that travelling by road to the south East zone has become a nightmare due to the prevailing security challenges and horrible roads.

“In his own words, Hon. Nnolim Nnaji made pronouncements to the effect that there was something fundamentally wrong in the manner that the Enugu Airport runway collapsed. He said, “By my investigation, a standard runway should have a life span of thirty years so if that runway could collapse in less than six years, then some people have to give us explanations”.

“Even though Hon. Nnolim Nnaji promised that the House Committee on Aviation would probe the mysterious and shocking collapse of the Enugu Airport runway, no action has been seen to this moment.

“The Igbo Renaissance Forum kicked off the day count campaign to draw the attention of the world to the lackadaisical attitude from all the agencies to the mouthed repairs at the Enugu Airport a few weeks back.

“As at today the 11th of October 2019, 48 days after shutting down the Akanu Ibiam International Airport and 28 days after signing the contract with the contractor, there is no sign of any activity for a job that the Minister for Aviation said would be done and handed over by December 2019.

“To worsen matters, it has become obvious from the utterances of the Ministry of Aviation and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria that no budgetary allocation was made for the repairs before going ahead to shut down the ONLY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT in the South East. As a Pro Igbo Organisation that is committed to ensuring that we revive the true Igbo spirit while re-engineering the psyche of Ndi Igbo, we have resolved to firstly take the questions surrounding the Akanu Ibiam International Airport to our kith and kin who were and are still in positions of authority.

“We also demand that the Federal Government of Nigeria should treat the repair and upgrade works at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport Enugu as they did with other airports. It is unacceptable to be hearing of no funds after shutting down the airport and giving a timeline that is fixed for December 2019 for completion. It is on record that the runway project at the Abuja International Airport was done within 6 weeks,” the statement noted.

It further asked “Why is it 6 weeks and 6 days and we are still talking about going on bended knees for the needed funds to be approved? We are using this medium to put those our brothers and sisters who have in one way or the other had any dealings with the Akanu Ibiam International Airport and its repairs and upgrade on notice, to get themselves ready as we shall be calling on them to explain to Ndi Igbo what they know and how we got to this point.

“This Akanu Ibiam International Airport saga will birth a new beginning in holding our leaders responsible like never experienced before. We are however calling on the South-East Governors to convene an urgent emergency meeting to find ways to get the job done and satisfactorily within the shortest possible time to save the region the economic losses and the rigours occasioned by the closure of the airport.

“Finally, we shall be embarking on a very determined drive to unearth the rot that led to the shabby runway that was commissioned amidst cheers, claps and praises for that administration that awarded the contract, only for it to collapse in less than six years,” the statement declared, adding, “Let everyone be ready as THE DAY OF RECKONING HAS COME!

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