By Jonah Okah
FOR some time, the plan by the Bayelsa State government to acquire aircraft at the cost of N25billion has generated mixed reactions. The project which was approved by the State Executive Council (SEC) and the House of Assembly has been misconstrued in many quarters.
For development enthusiasts, the plan should be applauded instead of being used for making political capital by opposition groups.
It is understandable that the attack inspired by a handful of opposition elements in the state, describing it as a misplaced priority was not properly viewed from the broad spectrum.
Governor Douye Diri, known for his tolerance of opposition and dissenting views, took such criticisms with equanimity with an uncommon determination to leave behind life-transforming legacy projects, with a strong conviction that he would eventually be remembered for positive impact in the fullness of time.
The idea to build an international airport in Bayelsa dates back to the administration of Chief Timipre Sylva between 2007 and 2012.
As governor, Sylva embarked on the project by expending huge resources on contractors for only clearing of the old site around the Okordia-Zarama; yet the project never saw light of day until he left office. While the resources expended on the clearing of the old site went down the drain, when the immediate past Governor Henry Seriake Dickson came on board, he nurtured the idea to reality, by placing it among his key priorities.
The airport project was executed to advanced stage by Dickson while his successor Diri took it to completion about three years ago in the spirit of continuity and for the overall benefit of Bayelsans.
The state of fanfare was overwhelming when Diri commissioned the airport with commercial flight operations when a United Nigeria Airline aircraft touched down at about 3:45pm on that fateful day.
The aircraft which took off from the Murtala Muhammed 2 Airport in Lagos had on board Diri, the airline chairman’s, Chief Obiora Okonkwo, Tokyo Olympics silver medalist in wrestling, Blessing Oborududu, King Alfred Diete Spiff, Boladei Igali, representatives of state at the National Assembly, State House of Assembly members, commissioners among other prominent leaders of the state.
It was a historic moment as a mammoth crowd of jubilant Bayelsans thronged the airport to witness the historic event.
The delighted governor could not hold back his joy, when he noted that, “the commencement of the commercial flight signalled economic development of the state, bringing Bayelsa to the world and the world to the state”.
He further said: “This significant event is the culmination of the aspirations birthed by former state governor late Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, which was eventually built by Senator Seriake Dickson, my predecessor. And it is under my administration that this project was crystalised. This is a demonstration that teamwork truly works”.
The runway was described by the pilot of United Nigeria Airline as one of the best in the country. An elated Diri expressed his determination to make Bayelsa truly ‘the Glory of All Lands’ and the state a construction site.
This is where critics of the N25billion approved by the State Executive Council to procure aircraft missed the point in their arm-twisting and distractive criticisms. Rather than appreciating the vision, short term and long term benefits of the project, they have resorted to making cheap political capital out of nothing. The truth remains that it is a project of necessity and not for ostentatious expenditure on recurrent matters.
It is in this vein that Diri needs to be appreciated over the futuristic initiative that air transportation will open up the state to the rest of the world, measured in terms of attracting investors coming to take advantage of the investment opportunities that abound in the state, particularly in the area of oil and gas and other comparative advantages in fishery.
It will further complement land and sea transportation, particularly the proposed Agge Seaport at Ekeremor area of the state.
In the broad sense, the project will go a long way to propel Bayelsa to becoming the fastest growing economy in the West African sub region, a state which ranks top in the nation’s production of oil and gas. Investors will not go through the trouble of coming to the state via the Port Harcourt airport, as the new airport provides the much-needed direct flight.
Besides the fact that the aircraft will serve as a huge asset for revenue generation, rather than a liability as erroneously being perceived by critics, the planes will reduce the cost of depending on hired aircraft for operational purposes, making the service epileptic to passengers.
There is no doubt Bayelsa is endowed with tourism potentials. It is a fact too that tourism is all about celebration of infrastructure, of which transportation is a critical component. So, it is not an overstatement to say that the state government’s bold initiative to acquire aircraft for commercial operations is indeed a project critical to the shared vision of Bayelsans towards making the state a tourist destination and hub of business.
All over the world, air transportation is the fastest means of connecting regions and Bayelsa cannot be left out in connecting the world to the state, which the people of the state stand to reap the multiplier benefits of having a large source of revenue generation.
Moreover, we are in era of placing premium on exploring the non-oil sector, rather than depending on allocation from the central government with cap in hand.
Therefore, with the state-owned aircraft, it will be a new dawn, as the state will not only proudly join the international committee of airline operators, it will also open a new vista of business opportunities and will definitely place the economic openings in the state on the world map.
Contrary to the stereotyped opinions that it is not a priority project, critics should be told that the aircraft had already created employment opportunities for brothers and sisters of the critics Bayelsa. It has taken off the streets several unemployed youths that were loitering in search of jobs, who have been fully engaged.
The former first military governor of old Rivers State and Amayanabo of Twon Brass, King Alfred Diete-Spiff aptly said: “With the airport in place, it will open a plethora of economic opportunities and place the state on the world map.”
The critics will definitely agree that Diri has made a bold statement in governance, that it is not all about wasting fund or sharing fund to every household, but the sheer determination to create the enabling environment for a public-private partnership enterprise to thrive for the sustainable development of the state for which dividends are already trickling in.
The fact remains that Diri has an eye on history and the indices of his infrastructure development point to the fact that the fair judgment of history will certainly smile at him in the fullness of time.
Therefore, the plan to acquire new aircraft for commercial operations is a project well-placed to provide a new vista of opportunities for the overall development of Bayelsa State.
Okah, a journalist/development enthusiast wrote from Yenagoa.
