By Abiola Olawale
The Delta State chapter of the All Progressive Congress (APC) has criticized the Governor Ifeanyi Okowa-led government in Delta over the concessioning of the Asaba International Airport.
In a statement, the APC Publicity Secretary in Delta, Sylvester Imonina described the deal as the “greatest shady” business in the history of the State.
The party decried the concession agreement that would see the state earn a paltry N100 million yearly from the asset, despite the state’s humongous investment in the airport over the years.
It was reported that the concession is for a 30-year period and would fetch the government N4 billion.
However, the Senior Policy Adviser to Delta Governor, Prof. Sylvester Monye while attempting to offer explanation on the concession of the Asaba airport, had on Thursday said the state government would earn about N80 billion from the concession and get N43 billion as royalty.
The Delta government also said there were no plans to sell the airport.
Governor Okowa’s aide stated that the concessionaire “has all it takes to effectively and efficiently run an airport to international standard’’.
But the APC said the entire arrangement was an “affront to common sense,” flaying the Delta government over the concession agreement which would only generate N100 million for the state government yearly. The reaction by the APC comes as questions are being raised on the accruable income from airport consortium which include an oil tank farm and hotel.
The APC further challenged the state government to release the full details of the concession agreement and come out clean on the deal.
“Unfortunately, the fraud called concessionaire of Asaba Airport will go down in history as the greatest bleak, shady business and economic coup against Deltans. It is an affront to common sense that an airport business, wherein more than N40 billion was invested, was concessioned for N4 billion and to yield N100 million annually because of vested interests.
“Also, the government should show to Deltans the corporate bodies that partook in the exercise and how much each of them bidded. We call on Deltans, and all people of goodwill, to kick against this obvious shenanigans, called concessions of Asaba Airport,” APC said.
