Ex-Abia Guber hopeful, Onyeonagu decry opposition’s moves to scuttle Abia airport project
By Chijindu Emeruwa
Former Governorship candidate in Abia state, Barrister Dan Onyenaogu, has decried the activities of group of individuals to jeopardize the developmental strides of the present government in the state.
In a release issued at the weekend, Onyeonagu decried the recent petitions by some individuals under the auspices of Nsulu Stakeholders Forum(NSF), to the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, the Inspector General of Police, the Director General of the Department of State Service, the national Security Adviser against the proposed construction of Airport at Nsulu in Isiala Ngwa North Local Government area of Abia state by the government.
He described the stakeholder’s forum as unknown to the people of Nsulu, insisting that their petitions to relevant agencies of federal government pertaining the Abia airport project is aimed at scuttling the developmental plans of Governor Alex Otti-led administration in the state.
“We are aware that there is a serious plan by some individuals in Nsulu seeking diverse avenues to scuttle the developmental plans and activities of the Executive Governor of my State, Dr Alex Otti. We will collaborate with the law enforcement agencies to fish them out soon,”,the lawyer vowed.
Continuing, Mr Onyeonagu said “May I also advice my learned friend, Sylvester Okonkwo Esq, the counsel to this NSF, to be wary of the kind of briefs he accepts.
“The good people of Nsulu are fully in support of the project. The benefits of this project cannot be overemphasized. Those against it, do not mean well for my people and the entire Abians. To site an airport at a place, you must consider, inter Alia, the topography of the place.
“This is criterion Nsulu meets in every ramification; and the environmental impact from aircraft operations, no doubt, would be minimal there. I doubt if any of these deprecators has been to the Ikeja airports(Local and International). I doubt if they have been to Enugu international airport. And I also doubt if they have set their foot into Bole airport, Addis Ababa Ethiopia. These are places more densely populated than my hometown, Nsulu.
“The new airport in Bishoftu, Ethiopiais
expected to be the biggest airport in Africa, when itiscompleted. The airport will be 13.5 square miles and have four runways, with a capacity to handle 100 million passengers annually. Go and
check the site for that airport and compare the population of the people living around there to that of Nsulu,”he explained.
While further describing the Nsulu Stakeholders forum as faceless body, Mr Onyeonagu urged federal government and Governor Alex Otti to discountenance the nefarious petition, and proceed with the construction of Abia airport project at Nsulu.
“I know my people. No reasonable son of Nsulu is challenging this noble project. For emphasis, we do not know this group and they do not represent us, “the University don reiterated.
Recall that Abia State Government had last year, announced plan to construct an airports in the state.
In December 18, 2024, the Governor of Abia state, Alex Otti and the Nigerian Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo performed the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of Airport in Nsulu, Isiala Ngwa North Local Government Area of Abia state.
The announcement of government’s plan to site an airport in Nsulu has been greeted by controversies which led to recent match protest by group of indigenes of the land donor community, and the petitioning of relevant federal government agencies by a forum of Stakeholders from Nsulu community opposing the airport project initiated by the Governor Alex Otti-led administration in partnership with federal government of Nigeria.
