Earlier this week, National Chairman, All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole threw jabs at the Bayelsa State Government, demanding accountability for the construction of the state airport runway project that gulped N100 billion.
The Details: In a conversation with the APC governorship aspirant in Bayelsa, Heineken Lokpobiri and some state governors on Thursday, the APC National Chairman said the airport was flooded.
Governor of Bayelsa State, Seriake Dickson in a swift response to the party stalwart, dismissed those statements, as he stressed that the cargo airport newly completed in the state was not flooded.
To prove his point, he called upon the press and took them on a tour around the airport and explained why operations were yet to commence at the newly constructed airport. He pointed out that the airport project was still being held back by regulatory agencies.
Giving an account of how the money was spent, Dickson explained that acquisition of land, clearing, sand filling and actual construction of the airport gulped N70 billion as opposed to N100 billion mentioned by the party stalwart.
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“It is clear from this visit that former Governor Adams Oshiomole lied when he was quoted as saying that the airport runway is flooded. All the visitors confirmed that 3.5 km. the runway was high above flood level.Â
“So the question is: why is a fellow South-South person deliberately maligning another governor from the region? Is this the way to play politics, even with the development of the people?
This is the height of the flood in Bayelsa State, but as you can see, there is no flood here; we reclaimed these parcels of land before starting the construction.
“This airport has one of the best runways in this country; so we will not join Oshiomhole in playing politics with the fortune of our people,” Dickson said.
In a recent Nairametrics report, Skyway Aviation Handling Company Plc (SAHCO) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Bayelsa State Government to be the official ground handling provider in the Bayelsa International Airport.
The Manager, Corporate Communications, SAHCO, Mrs Vanessa Uansohia, said the firm would offer services to both international and domestic airline operators. She stated that with manpower training and investments in state-of-the-art aviation ground handling equipment, among others, the company would exceed customers’ expectations.
Oshiomhole is know to make bogus statements against people. Recall that in 2015 when APC came to power, he made same bogus corruption allegations against former minister finance. Till now he has not been able to prove it.He talks carelessly.