Okenyi Kenechi
People argue that Anambra deserves an airport. But data shows that air traffic cargo into Nigeria in 2019 stood at 181,881 tonnes compared to 18.8 million tonnes of sea cargo in the first 3 months of 2019.
According to South East PDP, 55 percent of containers that enter Nigeria find their way to Onitsha and Aba.
The Anambra Airport will cost $2.2 billion. That’s almost a trillion naira. In 2012, dredging of the river Niger to 77 feet was estimated to cost 44 billion but due to devaluation of naira and inflation, let’s peg it at 120 billion. Construction of Port facility could take another 200 billion, equipment could consume 400 to 500 billion.
Now, Ohanaeze can get the other 4 South East governors to invest 30 billion each. Other individual billionaires could cough out 20 billion each for minority stake in the project. Before you shout blue murder, the Apapa Port is also a river port. The only deep seaport in Nigeria is the Lekki port under construction which will gulp 700 million dollars. Remember, the airport will gulp 2.2 billion dollars, three times what the Lekki deep seaport will cost.
Apapa can only carry vessels of 4000 TEU. Onne can carry 10000 TEU but is not used due to higher port charges and alleged insecurity. Also remember that Suez Canal which is an artificial sea-level waterway can carry vessels up to 20000 TEU. Panama canal, another artificial waterway takes up 20000 TEU, so is the Elbe River which leads to Port of hamburg, the third busiest port in Europe.
Again, 55 percent of containers that enter Nigeria find their way to Onitsha. Would the dredging of River Niger not be a more profitable economic venture than the cargo airport?
