are still embarking on resource-consuming projects that are not feasible, LEADERSHIP Weekend investigations have revealed.
Some analysts have argued that most of these public office holders only embark on such white elephant projects to impress the public and consequently gain unearned political points, knowing that the vast majority of Nigerians hardly bother to explore the economic viability of government projects and their prospects for appropriate revenue generation.
Our correspondent observed that even the airport itself, which is the first airport in Nigeria, has over the last few decades lost its glory, as many international airlines successively cancelled their operations there due to persistent fall in passenger traffic. The Monorail Projects in Cross River and Rivers States, which were initiated by former Governors Donald Duke and Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, now minister of Transportation, are a typical example of abandoned projects.
Among such projects are the Ecumenical commissioned in May 2017 to mark his second year in office. Six months after it was officially opened, no government or religious activities have taken place in the edifice. Others are the Rebisi and Okoro-Nu-Odo Flyovers located along Ikwerre road and the Trans-Kalabari road project.
Governor Abubakar Sani Bello has however said pointedly that there are no resources in the state now to complete such a project, insisting that the available resources in the state would instead be channeled to other viable areas. Our investigation confirmed that although Bayelsa Hotel was one of the projects used by former Governor Timipre Sylva to secure a N50 billion loan from the capital market in December 2009, it is still an abandoned project.
Completed but not fully utilized projects in the state include Tinapa Business/Leisure Resort initiated by former governor Donald Duke and completed by Senator Liyel Imoke. The project execution model for the Abia State airport is said to be a hermaphrodite, otherwise clothed in the garb of a Public-Private Partnership.
Governor Willie Obiano is similarly committed to the building of an airport in Anambra State, or so he has claimed for three years since he unveiled the project in April 2017.Anambra Airport City Infrastructures Limited oversees the project and has allocated 75 per cent equity to Elite International Investments, 20 per cent to Orient Petroleum Resources Limited and five per cent to Anambra State government.
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