Akwa Ibom's Air Business


Governor Emmanuel Udom


 Governor Emmanuel Udom of Akwa Ibom was a Lagos State based top banker before venturing into Politics. His emergence as a Governor of his people did not happen over night.

Although, he for now does not see eye to eye with former Governor and Senator Godswill Akpabio, but he

indeed was Secretary to the Government of Akwa Ibom State under Godswill Akpabio.

I had to give this background information due to my feeling that Akwa Ibom picking to do Air Business appears out of character. If any state should venture into the Air for Business, it certainly should not be Akwa Ibom State.

What are my reasons you may want to know? They are not really many but I just wonder why Aviation and not manufacturing based on Agriculture?

Nigeria as a country has ventured there and failed both individually and collectively. Nigeria Airways was Nigeria alone and Virgin Nigeria was a joint Venture.

Could Akwa Ibom be treading where others have failed? Certainly yes. 

The question then is, what are the critical factors behind the confidence of Akwa Ibom State? Could it be the number of flyers in the State? The manpower? The idling Air Port?

Surely their confidence must be anchored somewhere. Make no mistake about it, Akwa Ibom.remains one of the richest states in Nigeria but how many Akwa Ibomites can afford the cost of Air Travel?

Land transportation and water transportation should have made more sense to me. Air travel is expensive.

Honestly, if a private firm had ventured into the business, I would not have bothered at all. The question then is, why did the private sector not spot what Governor Udom saw?

Many a time, I have heard of people saying that Banks steal their ideas and refuse them loans after studying their proposals. Did Governor Udom get the brain wave as a banker?

Could Governor Udom be the brain behind many white elephant projects of Governor Akpabio? Governor Emmanuel Udom it is not too late to rethink this State sponsored Aviation business. I am not from Akwa Ibom but knowing what I know about how unprofitable Aviation business is, I wonder if this is really what your people want?

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