Aviation Workers Oppose Planned Concession Of P/Harcourt Airport For N2.5bn

The National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) has accused the federal government of planning to concession the Port Harcourt International Airport for N2.5 billion annually when the facility generates N1.1 billion monthly.

NUATE chairman at the airport, Comrade Emmanuel Akagha, who disclosed this in a chat with LEADERSHIP Friday in Port Harcourt, said the federal government had alleged that the airport was not viable.

He said, “The federal government wants to concession the Port Harcourt International Airport and it is on the table for concession. They went ahead to convince the National Assembly (NASS) and the Federal Executive Council (FEC) that the airport is not viable.

“Meanwhile, Port Harcourt Airport generates N1.145 billion and some fractions every month. The federal government now wants to concession the airport for N2.5 billion annually, which is totally scandalous.

“But, the world doesn’t know and the people don’t know. So, we want the world to know,” Akagha said.
Meanwhile, stakeholders have continued to disagree over the plan.

A resident of Port Harcourt and constant user of the airport, Olalekan Ige, said the government was not wrong in its efforts to concession the international airport.

Ige said, “For me, there is nothing bad in the federal government’s decision to concession the Port Harcourt International Airport to private people to manage.

“It is not new, and it is not starting for the first time in Nigeria. Remember, a Nigerian operates Gatwick Airport in London, the second-largest airport in the city.

“So, there is nothing bad if the federal government wants to concession the Port Harcourt International Airport, of course, it offers better services for your money. For those of us who use the airport regularly, I am sure that there will be better functionality.

“If you go to the Murtala Mohammed Airport II Terminal in Lagos, it has been managed by a private firm, Bicourtney, for more than 15 years now and it is doing well. So, there is nothing about concessioning the Port Harcourt International Airport,” he said.

On his part, another regular airport user, Dr Dormene Mbea, said the critical question remains whether the N1.1 billion represents the gross revenue, net operating income or total receipts.

Mbae said, “The critical issue is whether the ₦1.1 billion represents gross revenue, net operating income or total receipts, and whether the proposed concessionaire will assume responsibility for operating costs, infrastructure upgrades, maintenance and other financial obligations.

“Before reaching a conclusion, the government should make the concession agreement, independent valuation, financial projections and investment commitments available for public scrutiny. It should also explain how the arrangement will benefit the airport, its passengers and the people of the Niger Delta.

“Ultimately, a concession should not be judged by the annual fee alone, but by the overall value it delivers to the public. If the reported figures are accurate and the proposed terms do not adequately account for the airport’s earning potential and strategic importance, then the arrangement deserves serious scrutiny,” he said.