Pat Utomi mirrors Obianor
Known for his outspokenness on public affairs, Professor Pat Utomi, a professor of entrepreneurial economics has come down hard of Willie Obiano, the executive governor of Anambra State.
Addressing the problems of Nigeria during the week, Utomi lambasted state governors and described them as lazy and idle.
The professor is particularly pained that state governors are not creative enough to manage available local resources to transform life.
He sees the current college of governors as partly responsible for the degenerating insecurity in Nigeria saying “They only go to Federal Accounts Allocation Committee, FAAC, meeting every month to collect allocations to pay salary.”
This development, to Pat Utomi, remains unacceptable as no economic and management theories support such mode of governance.
Professor Pat Utomi further wondered what state governors do with huge monthly security votes even it does not seem security menace is being frontally addressed in any corner of Nigeria.
“They collect security votes and pocket it,” adding that if state governors have been up to their statutory task of developing local economies, idle youths who have resorted to insurgency and banditry would have been engaged.
Zeroing in on Willie Obiano, the executive governor of Anambra State, Pat Utomi sees the newly inaugurated Anambra airport as a project with high degree of personal aim.
It would be recalled that on April 11 2017, the Anambra State Governor, Willie Obiano, launched the Umueri Cargo Airport project, saying the development, costing over $2 billion, would be an ‘Airport City’, a new airport with two runways, aviation fuel and aircraft maintenance facilities, airport hotel, business park and other facilities.
On Friday, April 30, at about 2:40 p.m, an Air Peace Boeing 737 aircraft made the inaugural landing at the airport, throwing the waiting audience into a frenzy.
About 15 minutes later, another Air Peace Embraer 145 aircraft touched down, to a traditional water salute reception. As the audience were departing, a private jet also landed at the airport.
Obiano said the multi-billion naira project was strategic for the economy of Anambra, the region, and of Nigeria at large. He described it as the most audacious and “revolutionary” project ever embarked on by his administration and nearly completed in a 15-month record time.
Allen Onyema, chairman of Air Peace airline, said the landmark facility has the longest runway in the country, spanning 3.7km, with the capacity to receive the biggest air planes in the world
Onyema thanked the Federal Government for the airport’s approvals, describing it as one of the fastest airports to get a test-flight approval.
“What we have here is the widest runway ever and could land a Boeing 777 and an Airbus 380. This is the first time an airport would be doing a test-run with a Boeing 737. It used to be very small planes before. I decided to bring in two planes to show the quality of the airport here. I can tell you that it is a game-changer,” Onyema said.
But Pat Utomi sees it differently. According to the Professor, “Governor builds an airport near his village because they need to fly somewhere at any time of the day,” he stated.
The experienced business tutor also did not see the project impacting the economic curve saying governments, across tiers, have not demonstrated the requires savvy to eliminate poverty “They are not creating wealth.”
Reacting, Anambra State Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Mr. C. Don Adinuba said Professor Pat Utomi probably does not have the right information about the Anambra airport.
Adinuba, who is convinced that governor Obiano is creating wealth, advised that individuals should attempt to clarify from credible source before making public statements.
Speaking exclusively to OpenLife Nigeria on Saturday morning, May 13, Adinuba explained that the airport project began during Peter Obi’s administration.
“Former governor Peter Obi started the project. It was first at Oba near Idemili South Local Government Area before it was moved to its present location.
“Obi got the land but did not pay compensation. He also did not build it.
“Governor Obiano decided to continue with the project. He paid compensations to the affected communities and begun the building of the airport from the scratch,” he stated, adding that the benefits of the airport will span centuries.
About Author
