8 state governors who have no business building Airports

– Some state governors promised their people so many
good things of life during the electioneering campaign
period
– The most important and number one priority in the
economy of any society is human development
– Hunger has to be taken care of, before the thought of
International Airports
– Despite Nigerians groaning under severe economic
hardship presently, some state governors seem not to
care whose ox is gored any longer
It is shocking, to hear government embarking on white
elephant projects, whereas the immediate needs of the
citizens are not sorted out. In simple economics, the
three basic needs of life are: food, shelter and clothing.
All the managers of Nigeria, whom are the elected
political officer holders, should for once feel the
heartbeat of those they lead. The three aforementioned
basic needs of life are like luxury in Nigeria, for anyone
who has them. It is sad enough to know that, Nigeria is
among the leading nations of the world, where the
citizens provide themselves with almost every
infrastructure the government should provide, or
subsidise. Be it, power supply, roads, potable water,
hospital, etc, the citizens are responsible for all these.
It’s really a shame!
READ ALSO: Vice president’s wife urges Nigerians to aid
the poor
In the Punch of Wednesday, February 10, the editorial
succinctly captioned the governors’ lust for airports as,
“mad rush for state airports”. It was stated in there that:
“Many wrong choices and misplaced priorities embraced by
state governors, when the economy was booming are
bouncing back to haunt them. One of these is the
indiscriminate building of airports across the country, which
ignored the basic needs of life.
“Of the 25 airports managed by the Federal Airports
Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), experts say only the two in
Lagos and Abuja are viable.
“The truth remains that many governors have robbed their
citizens of the benefits of good governance, because of their
predilection for frivolous projects, when vice president, Yemi
Osinbajo’s figure of over 100 million Nigerians living below
the poverty line, how many people can afford the cost of
flights in the country?”
1. Ayodele Fayose (Governor, Ekiti state)
Fayose is a second term governor. He had allegation
leveled against him of embezzling the state’s money
during his first term, with a poultry project, which never
came into existence.
Some indigenes of the state are of the opinion that the
governor has nothing to offer the state, except eating
food on the streets with the locals, whose lives have not
fared any better, despite the governor calling himself, a
man of the people.
According to Nosa Igiebor in his piece titled ‘ Our little
Emperor’ in Tell magazine edition of Monday, October
26, 2015, he specifically took a swipe at Governor
Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti state, saying: “He (Governor
Fayose), wants to adorn his capital, Ado Ekiti, with an
airport, whose initial cost is a modest N17 billion. If the
airport ever gets completed, the final bill may double. It
should be noted that the Ekiti state capital is about an
hour’s drive from Akure, which has an airport, which is as
busy as an abandoned graveyard.
“And if the highway between the two cities were to be
dualised, that could cut the journey time by 50%. This one
viable alternative to what is obviously ‘a white elephant
project’, which he could partner Governor Segun Mimiko of
Ondo to develop. And they can toll the road after, to recoup
their investments and create a source of additional
revenues for their states.”
Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti state
2. Abdulaziz Yari (Governor, Zamfara state)
Zamfara state is close to airport states like Kano and
even Jigawa. The state is one of the poorest states in
Nigeria. The state is battling with childhood diseases
like measles. Yari is the chairman of the Nigeria
Governors Forum (NGF). Many believe the governor
should better focus on bettering the lives of the people
to welfare programmes.
Governor Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara state
3. Ibikunle Amosun (Governor, Ogun state)
Rotimi Amaechi, the minister of transport , during his
inspection of some projects and visit to Ogun state, to
see the state governor, some weeks back, advised the
governor, to rather use the money he intended using to
build his proposed cargo airport on unfinished projects
and infrastructural development. It is still in the same
Ogun state that residents of Obafemi-Owode local
government area, cried out to the governor and the
federal government that they have been living in
darkness for several years due to perennial power
outage.
Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun state
4. Willie Obiano (Governor, Anambra state)
The former bank director has been trying to deliver the
dividends of democracy to Anambrarians. He is
reportedly focusing on the agriculture sector, by giving
incentives to farmers, in order to boost food production
in the state. He is also waging war against ghost
workers.
Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra state
READ ALSO: Danger looms ahead for Nigeria’s
economy
5. Rauf Aregbesola (Governor, Osun state)
Osun state lacks financial muscle compared to a state
like Ogun, which is said is not viable yet for an airport.
There have been series of strikes and agitations by
different labour unions in the state, regarding payment
of workers’ salaries, bonuses, gratuities and other
emoluments.
The sad experience of last year is still crystal clear in
front of a good number Nigerians, whereby some NGOs
and well-meaning Nigerians, had to come to the aid of
some starving Osun state government workers, who
were owed backlogs of salaries. The hungry workers
were assisted with food items and other deliveries. It
was one of the worst experiences in the history of
Nigeria.
Some members of the major opposition political party,
the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun have
lampooned Governor Aregbesola. The Punch of
Monday, January 18, had the caption, “ Aregbesola
inflated airport contract by 11.5bn, says PDP”.
Mr Diran Odeyemi, the director of media and strategy of
the PDP in Osun, said the governor inflated the contract
sum of the Moshood Abiola International Airport, Ido,
Osun, from N4.5 billion to N15.5 billion. Mr Odeyemi
also added that, Aregbesola wanted to use the airport to
embezzle the bailout loan the state got from the Central
Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun state
6. Okezie Ikpeazu (Governor, Abia state)
The governor was said to have performed below par,
while he served in the administration of his predecessor.
Aba, in Abia state, the commercial hub of the south-east,
is in dire need of infrastructure upgrade. The city has so
many dilapidated roads and refuse dumps taking over
almost every corner of the state.
Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia state
7. Ifeanyi Okowa (Governor, Delta state)
He is a first term governor. The leader of Delta state is
yet to pull any string in terms of major developmental
projects in his state. It was during his predecessor’s
second term tenure that the idea of the airport project
was first mooted. Embarking on this project is not the
best for the welfare of the people of the state.
Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta state
8. Umar Tanko Al-Makura (Governor, Nasarawa state)
Nasarawa is very close to the Federal Capital Territory,
Abuja, which has an international airport. Analysts
think Al-Makura should focus on human development,
as his second term will end in three years’ time. He
should think of how he will provide succour for the
unemployed graduates and youths, through well-
planned poverty alleviation programmes and schemes.
Governor Umar Tanko Al-Makura of Nasarawa state