ALHAJI Tanko Al Makura, the Governor of Nasarawa State, has decided to shrug off criticisms and build a cargo airport in the state capital, Lafia. He has already signed a memorandum of understanding with a Chinese company, Tongyi Engineering Group, towards the actualisation of his dream.
Nasarawa thus joins the ranks of states jostling to establish their own airports, despite the fact that most of them already have functional local and international airports close to their states. These include Abia, Anambra, Ekiti, Ogun, Lagos, to mention but a few. Within the past eight years, no less than five new airports sprang up around the country. These were at Dutse (Jigawa), Asaba (Delta), Uyo (Akwa Ibom), Bauchi (Bauchi) and Gombe (Gombe).
The construction of airports by state governments appears to have acquired status symbol. Governors usually justify the need for their airports by designating most of them as “cargo” international airports, thus underscoring the economic vision behind them.
They argue that the airports would boost industrialisation and help in evacuating agricultural products to all parts of the country and the world at large. They insist that investors would be more easily persuaded to visit their states if they could fly in directly.
The question is: how come that not a single cargo airport in the country has started bringing in or lifting cargo? Most of these airports are idle, with commercial airlines visiting infrequently and only under heavy subsidy arrangement with the state governments. Over time, their lack of commercial viability could lead to increasing neglect, deterioration of facilities and eventual decertification by aviation regulatory authorities. Keeping them properly maintained could be a big drain on the dwindling resources of states.
In most cases, quite apart from the factor of pride and the lure of awarding contracts, most governors are pushed to construct airports to join the elite club of governors who can fly directly from their states to any part of the country rather than travelling on rough and distant roads to the nearest airports. Governors with airports in their state capitals can easily charter aircraft at a moment’s notice.
Some even buy or lease private aircraft and helicopters, with attendant huge costs to their states’ lean treasuries. These airports mainly exist to service the opulent lifestyle of governors and a few members of the elite.
Though, we agree that airports open up states for greater opportunities, we are convinced that they cannot be priorities for most states, especially those that are situated close to existing airports.
With poor roads, dilapidated schools and hospitals, lack of water and unpaid salaries still bedeviling most states, we call for caution in the proliferation of airports.
Let us learn to walk before running.
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