Tears for P/H international airport: Courtesy of Amaechi

It is not a secret that there rages an acrimonious feud between two long estranged bedfellows – the Minister of Transportation as well as immediate past Governor of Rivers State – Mr Rotimi Amaechi and the incumbent governor, Mr Nyesom Wike. In the course of this ‘family war’, the state has suffered significant collateral damage […]

It is not a secret that there rages an acrimonious feud between two long estranged bedfellows – the Minister of Transportation as well as immediate past Governor of Rivers State – Mr Rotimi Amaechi and the incumbent governor, Mr Nyesom Wike. In the course of this ‘family war’, the state has suffered significant collateral damage in terms of loss of due benefits that should have been its portion, only because these two politically potent figures in the state, are not only at war with themselves. They have in the process dragged their respective followers into the fray. As a result, politics in Rivers State today is bipolar and is driven by pressures from two principal camps, namely Amaechi’s and Wike’s. The war between these two combatants has manifested in many forms such as  verbal assaults including the use of unprintable language, physical confrontation between their followers often featuring armed escorts, and as some believe – even the deployment of arsenals that belong more to the terrain of the esoteric; African juju.  

Incidentally many have long suspected that Amaechi, who is rather relatively handicapped by the fact of his restriction to Abuja as a Minister, and having to fight the incumbent from a remote location, may have resorted to invidious tactics. One of these; it is believed is the adoption of a scorched earth policy of blocking as much as his capacity can account for, the access of Rivers State to whatever dividends that would come from the federal government to the state, and may benefit the administration of Wike. Otherwise how does one explain the recent development in the Ministry of Transportation under his supervision whereby the federal government is poised to develop Benin Airport to displace Port Harcourt International Airport as the aviation hub of the South South geo-political zone? 

In a move that will prove definitive in the course of time, the federal government may have actually commenced the process of upgrading the Benin Airport to an international status. Just last week the Minister of State for Transport (Aviation) Senator Hadi Sirika was in Benin City where he disclosed this to the Edo State governor at the Government House in Benin City. According to the Minister, the approval to transform the Benin Airport was due to the fact the facility is one of the oldest airports in Nigeria and that the zone needed a standard international airport to serve its growing economic interests. He also assured that the airport will be fitted with necessary facilities within 12-months, as part of the plans to upgrade it to an international standard.

According to him, “plans have been concluded to upgrade landing system with adequate radio equipment that will enable the Airport handle both day and night operations, even in adverse weather conditions. There are plans to also extend the runway at the Benin Airport to enable it handle high volume of traffic with capacity to accommodate cargo planes.”

Speaking further Sirika said “Aviation connects businesses, trade, cultures, nations and people. With a standard airport in place, it becomes easy to achieve economic growth and development. We will work with Edo State Government to ensure that within the next 12 months, Benin Airport will become an International Standard Airport with all the necessary aviation equipment in place.”

In response Edo Governor Godwin Obaseki expressed appreciation to the federal government for the effort to make the Benin Airport an international airport, noting that “This is the most astonishing news I have heard as a governor this year. The effort this administration has made since assuming office is gradually paying off with the assurance coming from the Minister that in a couple of months, work will commence in Benin Airport to upgrade it to international standard. This administration is working hard to transform Edo State to an economic hub. What is missing is rail transport linking the state with other parts of the country. The upgrade of the Benin Airport to international standard will complement our strategic geographical location”. 

 Ordinarily, the transformation of Benin Airport to international status qualifies on its merit as a worthy national venture with huge dividends lying in wait to be reaped in the process. In fact the delay in upgrading it all along should qualify as one of the unfortunate instances where the playout of myopia by respective aviation authorities, took the better part of their considerations with respect to the development agenda for the sector.  Historically Benin City had served as a most strategic entrepot for trade between the North and South as well as the East and West of this great country Nigeria and the West African sub region. Hence for the   city’s airport to remain in its present condition as a local air base constitutes an anachronism of sorts. Beside the foregoing, given the fact that the Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) Chief John Oyegun (this author’s former Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of National Planning) hails from Edo State, the upgrade of Benin Airport to international standard constitutes a welcome dividend for Edo State during his tenure. 

The snag here however is that the upgrade of the Benin Airport coincides with the deepening neglect and deterioration if not tacit downgrade of the Port Harcourt International Airport, whose operations – especially the arrival hall, has remained in a plastic tent (‘batcher’), since before and all through the latter part of Amaechi’s tenure as the governor of Rivers State and his entire reign as Minister of Transportation. Passengers arriving Port Harcourt Airport, the epicenter of the country’s oil and gas operations, and who are not disposed to use the VIP lounge are confined to the tent where the compromised quality of services and attendant security flops constitute matter of concern.  For passengers who may be in the good books of ‘Mother Luck,  on a rainy day such occupant of the arrival tent could be soaked to the under-wear, right inside the enclosure.

It is also not difficult to appreciate that Amaechi could be visiting Port Harcourt a thousand times a day without being confronted by the depressed condition of the facilities at the location, since he would ordinarily use the VIP Lounge, and be ferried off from there immediately, in a forbidding convoy by security aides, without as much of a glance at the shame of his leadership of the Ministry of Transportation.

In another vein Sirika’s sudden elevation of Benin Airport and tacit denigration of the Port Harcourt international Airport, cannot easily be isolated from a ring of vengeance he could be nursing for Amaechi his principal in the Ministry of Transportation. That is if when it is recalled that the two of them reportedly threw protocol to the wind and nearly engaged in fisticuffs early in their tenure as ministers in charge of the country’s transportation sector. With the Benin Airport upgrade drama it would seem that Sirika may be joining Wike as Amaechi’s nemesis. 

But the ultimate reckoning for Amaechi will be when his ministerial tenure will abate by May 29th 2019 at the latest for this administration, and he returns to Rivers State without restoring the Port Harcourt International Airport to its deserved condition. It will be interesting to see how he will stand the angst and tears that will flow for him in torrents, over his dexterity in office as he played   spoilsport with respect to the blight of Port Harcourt International Airport.