Jimitota Onoyume
5 December 2008
FEDERAL House of representatives has been urged to help prevail on the Federal Government to refund the two billion naira provided by the Rivers State government to support rehabilitation work at the Port Harcourt International Airport.
Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State who made the appeal in Government House, Port Harcourt before House of Representatives Committee on Aviation who were on a courtesy visit to him said the money was released by the state government in 2005.
The governor lamented that the state was being treated like an orphan by the Federal Government in terms of projects and wondered why the situation should be so inspite of the level of economic activities in the state that help to sustain the nation.
He noted that the Port Harcourt International Airport in the state is a federal agency and it would be unconstitutional to expect a state government to take over their functions.
He said the state government decided to support the rehabilitation of the airport by loaning the agency the N2 billion to fast track the pace of work in the project, considering the importance of the airport to the region.
According to him, "we plead with you to assist the state government recover the money from the Federal Government".
He disclosed that already, the state government has ordered for two fire vehicles to assist their operations while the state government made concerted efforts before the Federal Government to install the lighting system at the airport and urged the Federal Government to do more for the state and the Niger Delta States.
Earlier, the House of Representatives Committee on Aviation, Mr Bethel Nnaemeka Amadi, said the committee was in the state to carry out its oversight function at the Port Harcourt International Airport, particularly to assess ongoing projects under the d2008 budget.
Hon Amadi noted with satisfaction that some of the projects have been completed while others are at various stages of completion and appealed to the state government to assist the airport in the areas of security to protect facilities before the completion of the perimeter fencing.
He, however, commended the state governor for the installation of screening machine at the Executive Lodge and other support which the airport authority has received from the state government.
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