Like the birth of a child, Ibom Air, a commercial airline jointly set up by the Akwa Ibom State Government and a group of investors, was unveiled during the week. It came with profound joy and a sense of self-fulfillment to the people of Akwa Ibom State.
It was a joyous moment because many saw it to be the celebration of a great achievement and the determination of the people to break new grounds and forge ahead into areas that many are hesitant to go into.
Akwa Ibom is an oil producing state but does not have any petrochemical project to show for it. It does not have any oil depot and has no refinery but has undertaken the construction of major physical infrastructure in the last few years to boost its industrialisation drive.
In terms of air transportation, business travelers used to go to Port Harcourt in Rivers State or Calabar in Cross River State to board a plane to Lagos or Abuja. This was because there was no airport built by the Federal Government in Akwa Ibom State despite being a major oil producer.
In the same vein, a state with a natural draught suitable for development as a seaport is pursuing the development of its maritime resources including the construction of a deep seaport on its initiative. Despite the chronic ports congestion in Lagos, in which deliberate efforts should have been made to develop other ports outside the Lagos, Akwa Ibom State has to embark on the building of a seaport as a last resort. Though it may not come easy, according to observers, the seaport project would be realised some day.
So, when Ibom airport started operations many years ago, it came to fill the yawning gap in the industry in this part of the country and travelers having business transactions no longer had the need to go through other state capitals to board an airplane. As expected, it drew criticisms from several quarters saying that “It would be a colossal waste of resources and a white elephant project.’’
But during the World Cup qualifiers in which the Akwa Ibom International Stadium hosted many of the matches, the airport came handy, thanks to the vision of the founding fathers of the state.
Enter Ibom Air, with a fleet of three bombardier aircraft at the moment, belonging to the CRJ 900 series acquired by the state government for the take off of the airline. Two of the aircraft touched down during the unveiling of the airline while the third was expected with the week. It was the beginning of Akwa Ibom being transformed into a transportation hub.
Indeed, Akwa Ibom has become the first state in the country with category two airport and the first to own and operate an airline, according to Idongesit Nkanga, chairman of Ibom Air, expressing the hope that it would not be long before the dream of the seaport is realised.
To be flying passengers in the economy class with the third aircraft to be modified to fly the business class, the birth of the airline which attracted dignitaries across the country showed the audacity of courage by the initiators.
According Bukola Saraki, Senate President who unveiled the airline, there would also be a difference when a man who understands the needs of the people takes charge of affairs both in private and public sectors.
“Nigeria will experience what Akwa Ibom is experiencing with a man who understands what it means about creating jobs, fighting poverty. He is creating the enabling environment for investment that will bring hope for our people, that is what Udom is doing,’’ he said.
Though a few have expressed doubts over the viability of an airline established by a state government given that many airlines in various parts of the continent are struggling and are yet to break even, the courage to break new grounds, a bold attempt to provide critical infrastructure needed to drive economic activities must also be put into perspective, observers say.
Similarly, in a country where there is no national carrier or where the establishment of a national airline is mired in controversy even when consultants were appointed, the ability of a state government to unveil its carrier with the prospect of growing the fleet in the near future cannot be taken for granted, observers have also pointed out.
One major component of the Ibom Air project was the Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility which was intended to provide all forms of checks to aircraft both within and outside Nigeria. This would have been a source of revenue both in local and foreign currency to the state government given that operators from other West African countries would be making use of the facility.
Sadly though, the facility had yet to take off but with the inauguration of the airline, there is a renewed hope that things would begin to look good for the project.
According Governor Udom Emmanuel, the MRO will be the place to maintain fleets of aircraft across the country, adding that “Ibom Air will be run as a business venture.”
For Obong Victor Attah, the man the airport is named after and who pioneered the establishment of the airport, his joy knew no bounds with the inauguration of the airline.
“I thank God that we have Governor Udom Emmanuel who has deemed it necessary to carry on with project we started years ago. I was accused of running the government as a business but I am happy that Udom Emmanuel is running the government as a business. Today, we have in front of us the beginning of something that will bring economic development to the state,’’ he said.
Though the cost implication of the project has not been made known, with a competent board headed by a former retired air force officer, Idongesit Nkanga, it is believed that Ibom Air would become a viable commercial airline.
Given the excitement that the project has brought to people of the state, being able to witness the gradual transformation of Uyo, the state capital from a sleepy town into a transportation hub with excellent road network and with plans to develop its maritime sector, it certainly would be a matter of time before the benefits of this huge investment begin to be realised.
Furthermore, as the project continues to ignite debate about its desirability or otherwise, the joy that the inauguration of the airline brought would be further enhanced when the airline is turned into a major commercial operator, helping to draw tourist to the state and as a major tool in expanding the frontiers of economic development in the region.
ANIEFIOK UDONQUAK, Uyo
