Abia Community Rejects Proposed Airport Location

Umunna Nsulu Community in Isialangwa North LGA has protested against the site for the proposed Abia state Airport.

The Community in a peaceful protest on Saturday prevented Abia State Government officials from carrying out a trace of the perimeter survey in their land.

They expressed their dissatisfaction with the state government’s plans, citing concerns over land ownership, displacement, and lack of prior consultation.

They argue that the project threatens their ancestral lands and livelihoods, demanding transparency and dialogue before any further steps are taken.

The protesters who were mostly women were all carrying green leaves and chanted some songs in their dialect saying “Airport lee anyi achogi ya” meaning Airport we don’t want it in our community “

Governor Alex Otti had on 24 May 2024 announced his administration’s decision to actualise the Abia Airport dream.

The administration of former Governor Theodore Orji (2007 – 2015) had approved an airport for the state and acquired the site, while his successor, Okezie Ikpeazu, even appropriated N10 billion for its commencement as reportedly approved by the then State House of Assembly.

But the project was reportedly later stopped following its dissuasion by the state’s traditional rulers during their visit to Ikpeazu who accepted their advice that the approved N10 billion funds be channeled to other projects like roads.

The traditional rulers had reasoned that an airport for the state should not be a priority, considering that states around Abia already had functional airports .

Otti, who resurrected the Abia airport project when he received a delegation from the Federal Ministry of Aviation led by the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Emmanuel Meribeole, expressed his desire to see an Abia Airport standing in the next year.

Noting that land for the project had been located and the owners reached for the timely take-off of the project, the governor assured that his administration “will take the lead in ensuring that the ambition for an Abia Airport comes to fruition as soon as possible.”

He said: “One important thing about an airport is its location, and we have zeroed in on the place we are looking at the moment. We didn’t just identify the location; we went the extra mile to identify the owners because it’s a huge parcel of land. We have already started a meeting with them.”

While thanking President Bola Tinubu for consenting to build an airstrip for the state and for accommodating the same in the 2024 budget, Otti also appreciated the Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, and his team for being on the same page with him in envisioning an Airport for Abia as soon as possible.

Abia Community Rejects Proposed Airport Location is first published on The Whistler Newspaper