ASABA-INTERNATIONAL-AIRPORT
By Norbert Chiazor
Every citizen has a right to interrogate government action. Not every criticism is mischievous. Public concern on Asaba International Airport is likely. Two reasons feed the premise.
One, in a state rooted in undying ethnic mistrust, every eye is fitted with binoculars to scrutinize every move of the political leadership. Secondly, people generally do not trust government in Nigeria, no thanks to gross official laxity, underdevelopment, Illiteracy and poverty.
Psychologists call this awkward follower-leader relations ‘alienation of hate.’
Search no more why all eyes are on Asaba airport, built by the administration of Dr. Emmanuel Ewetan Uduaghan with revolving development under Governor Ifeanyi Okowa.
What stoked the latest heat?
Governor Okowa just proclaimed that his administration has granted tenured authority to a private firm to manage the airport. Economists term this “Concession”.
An international aviation management team, FIDC-Menzies Consortium emerged as the key Concessionaire.
Details :
The company will pay Delta State government 100 million every year, with N1 billion to be paid two weeks from the date of signing of the agreement.
Delta by the contract, gets 2.5% of annual profits earned by the operators.
The agreement is subject to review every 5 years, by 10% upwards.
The investors also have an obligation to plough N28 billion on infrastructure in the airport over the next 30 years.
Some critics have attacked the N100 million annual revenue to government as too poor. A whole airport! They screamed.
But those who know the matter especially in aviation circles say it is not tokenism. The expressed explanation is that the agreement is not set on concrete, as it is reviewable and progressive, with ample window for periodic buoyant gains.
Count it all joy. Let the people have their say. Let the government has its way. Hopefully for public good. Granted.
However the obnoxious angle in the divergent tale is the talk in town, particularly in the social media that Okowa sold the airport to his daughter and clique. What is a “small” girl ( I have Diokpa license please) doing with a whole airport? The allusion is akin to a notion about my Amaka buying the moon! How? For what? What sense?
Okowa is unarguably deep in reflection, withdrawn and reserved. Yet, he is not a cold, insensitive reckless leader. His calm serene nature is subject to presumptive reasoning. But a clever, open discerning mind who deliberately pauses and ponders will have a redeeming understanding of Okowa essence.
By his grooming, education, attention to details and austere taste, he is far from being a man with rapacious greed.
Okowa as a consummate modern man should like and have money but he does not appear in character and orientation as a man with the strength and appetite for fat filthy lucre.
My voice is first as a Media aide. Secondly I speak clearly not as an anonymous Deltan.
Okowa did not SELL Asaba airport. Not for a pot of porridge. It is on contract, on concession for revenue and employment.
The governor need not fight his critics or fret. He must be governor of commendations and criticisms. In the midst, he would wax wiser and stronger. As local government chairman, commissioner, SSG, Senator and now governor, he has seen power since ages.
He obviously knows that leadership is like the dilemma of the bull fighter and the bull. When the matador stands with the bull before spectators in the filled gallery of ancient Greece, the crowd often holler thousands of tips, whether serious or frivolous to the marksman but only him largely understands how best to confront the challenge. Leadership is deeply complex, tortuous and long suffering.
In dealing with the Asaba airport and the action of Okowa, Deltans should kindly suspend their disbelief.
Okowa means well. Our governor is not irresponsible.
- Chiazor, Communications Strategist, writes from Asaba
