Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan may have proved critics wrong and rather secured a pass mark in his political ambition to return to Government House on a second term bid and as the first flight touched down in the much talked about ongoing Asaba International
Airport.The project which commenced in 2009 has moved from the originally projected N7billion to N12billion, later N22billion and now N40 billion, thereby eliciting criticism from different quarters.
Originally, the first flight at the airport was scheduled for November 16, 2010. However several logistics and technical problems arose which delayed the landing of the first aircraft until Thursday, March 24, 2011 when the very first aircraft, Overland Airways - ATR42 (5N-BND) said to have been chartered by the Delta State Government and conveying the governor and other state officials landed at Asaba Airport at about 2:00pm on Thursday, March 24, 2011 even when the airport terminal building incomplete and may take some time before commercial operations can commence fully.
The first flight which can be described as a test run took off in Abuja at about 1:15pm and landed at the airport at about 2pm.
The 48-sitter commercial aircraft owned by Overland Airlines flew over the adjoining towns of Asaba, the state capital to create awareness on the history making event.
The pilot Gilbert Sampa said the flight was an interesting one, stressing that he was happy to be part of history making flight.
Mr. Sampa, who described the airport as good enough and of international standard said he flew with lot of experience because it was his first time in the area.
The second aircraft, a France Air passenger Leyer Jet D/CPDR landed the Asaba International Airport on Friday, March 25, 2011 from Abuja.
The pilot, Ekstrand Rolf said it took him 25 minutes to fly from Abuja to Asaba. The passenger plane eventually took off at exactly 10:00 am.
But a section of Deltans complain that it is risky to test run aircrafts on an incomplete project no matter the political gains involved.
“We hope Uduaghan will go beyond this political gimmick and actually complete the passenger terminal which ordinarily should not take too much financial resources from the state treasury.”
Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, apparently elated by the success of the first and second successful flights mocked “doubting Thomases” to come and see the actuality on ground, adding that he was fulfilled and gave God the glory
“I am so happy with this achievement. My dream has come true and all those who criticized the project will now shut up their mouth”.
Uduaghan said the construction of an airport takes up to seven years and expressed happiness that within a period of three years an aircraft was able to land at the airport.
The Governor disclosed that the airport will bring economic boom along with what he called “enormous multiplier effect” and called on Deltans to explore the business potentials the airport will attract and enjoined youths in the area not to harass or exploit prospective developers.
Brief History:
The Administration of Chief James Onanefe Ibori of 1999-2007 muted the idea of building a standard category C Airport, capable of handling big planes like Boeing 737 and Cargo aircrafts in Asaba, Delta state Capital and intended to enhance air travels, generate more revenue to boost the financial base of the State at completion.
The Ibori administration could not embark on the project but Dr. Emmanuel Ewata Uduaghan took the Airport project as part of the main stay of its 3- point Agenda of Peace and Security, Human Capital Development and Infrastructural Development as the foundation stone of the airport was laid in 2009 by former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Chairman, Chief Vincent Ogbulafo.
The contract for the construction of the Airport was awarded to U.L.O .Consultants Ltd at an initial cost of N6.47 Billion.
Afterwards, the contractor, an Asaba indigene, Ogbueshi Uche Okpuno said he needed the sum of N22 billion to complete the Asaba International Airport project.
Ogbueshi Uche Okpuno had explained that the delay in completing the project was caused by a fundamental modification of the original design of the project which was at the insistence of the aviation regulatory bodies.
The ongoing Airport project, after what the state government referred to as challenges was reviewed upwards to nearly N40 billion Asaba Airport.
Deltans have continued to agitate over the huge and upward review of the cost of airport project to tune the tune of N40 billion as announced by Chief Uche Okpuno, the contractor handling the project.
It will be recalled that at the foundation laying ceremony, the governor Dr. Uduaghan had announced in the presence of Prince Vincent Ogbulafor, former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), that the airport, which was initially estimated at N14 billion, a sum considered too high for the government would now cost N7 billion. The governor also assured the public that the project would be completed in 18 months, as the airport is a star project of his administration.
Meanwhile, the incessant reviews of the cost of the airport project and the conflicting completion date which have put to question on the sincerity of both the contractors and the government has been doused by the successful landing and take-off of the Aircrafts at the Asaba International Airport.
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