Ortom
Al-Makura
By Sanya Ademiluyi
It appears to be not only a battle of wits but that of skillful execution between Benue and Nassarawa States in the country’s North Central area over who builds an airport first. Both states are eyeing a potentially lucrative trade in the air freight of agricultural produce to global markets which could be worth several hundreds of million US dollars per annum.African fresh agric produce exporters earned $1.4 billion in 2010.
Since early this year both states have announced that they were set to start the construction of cargo airports in their states. Nassarawa state governor, Tanko Al Makura first set the ball rolling late last year,2015 when he announced the state’s airport project, howbeit to a cold reception by the state. Al-Makura who appeared convinced of the many benefits of the project in trying to sell it to his fellow Nassarawans explained that it would create hundreds of jobs, directly.And several hundreds more indirectly through the increased demand of agricultural produce of farmers in the state. Sam Ortom ,Governor of Benue State disclosed his administration’s airport construction plan few months ago. The Benue airport will cost a colossal N38 billion and would take 18 months to complete. Construction is expected to start early next year,2017, meaning it would be finished mid-2018.Construction work on the Nassarawa airport project was scheduled to start this December,2016,according to Tongyi Group Chairman, Al-Greeh Zhen.
Nassarawa is a modern –day ‘eden’,with rolling fertile grasslands and rich valleys and low hills stretching for miles on end. And blessed with good climate, it is an agricultural powerhouse ,producing tons of rice ,maize, millet and other cash crops. Mineral-rich, the state also produces the bulk of the salt consumed in the country.
Whereas, Benue, which is a much older state than Nassarawa, is another agricultural powerhouse. It has the longstanding reputation as the country’s biggest producer of yam tubers, aside other cash crop which it produces.
But industries are few and far between, with the unemployment rate among its youth estimated at over 85 per cent. Figures for Nassarawa, with a low population of roughly two million, are even much worse. Youth unemployment could be as high as 90 per cent, in the mainly agrarian state. It is therefore clear why a cargo airport is so important to both states. It will help generate more income for their farmers and some employment for their youths through the cargo value chain.
Both states are well positioned, as they share borders with Abuja, the Federal capital city. The two states contribute a significant percentage of the foodstuff worth several hundreds of millions of naira consumed in the Federal capital, daily. Aside that, both airports could serve as alternative airports to the Nnamdi Azikiwe International airport in Abuja, especially for domestic flights due to their proximity. Indeed, Tanko Al-Makura, while inaugurating the airport project in Lafia, the state capital last year said the airport when constructed, would serve both commercial and cargo service to the north central states.
The governor believes that Nasarawa State must take advantage of its proximity to the Federal Capital Territory by providing alternative airport service to the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.
For instance, the Azikiwe airport ,Abuja is scheduled to be shut down for six weeks next February to allow for repairs on its runway. The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN plans to divert several flights to the Kaduna airport, in neighbouring Kaduna State. That business would naturally had gone to Nassarawa or Benue ,if they had suitable airports in place. Benue has a longstanding airport at its capital, Makurdi but that airport has no cargo handling facilities. The new cargo airport is to be sited at Dauda, in Guma local government area of the state.
Now, Benue and Nassarawa appear to be in a race to be the first to complete a cargo airport that would help position either state as the hub for air freight of agricultural produce in the country’s North Central area and beyond. Benue’s Governor Sam Ortom is determined to quickly get the state’s cargo airport off the ground.
To be sure , both states have private investors who are spearheading the projects and would provide the bulk of the financing for the construction of the two airports. China’s Tongyi Group is promoter of the N20 billion Nassarawa airport project, while Hypad, a Chinese financier would provide funding for the 75 per cent stake held by Tongyi. Al-Makura is seeking to access funds from the Federal Government Infrastructure Intervention Fund to finance its 25 per cent stake. Benue is partnering with Nigerian investor, Cargopolis Development Consortium, CDC to build the airport under a 25 year concession agreement.
Ortom who was supervising minister of the Aviation ministry until last year, before he became governor understands keenly the importance of the airport project and he is betting big that it would help to lift his state out of its current dire economic straits.
At best, both airports are not expected to be delivered before the end of 2018. Al-Makura fought a low scale battle to get his kinsmen on board the airport project, while Ortom has not spared an occasion in recent weeks, to drum up support for, while singing the numerous benefits of the airport project to the state.
For both states, it is a race against time. The first to market may take the lion’s share of business.
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