bonnez:

God Bless you. i don't know why people cannot just read a post and move on if they have nothing reasonable to say. must we always express negativity? most peolpe who have commented on this post are doing so out of sheer ignorance. I hail and reside in Akwa Ibom so i know what i'm saying.

No mind dem. Ignorance & Bad Belle dey worry dem.

These are the same people who don't want to see anything good come out from Niger Delta. Arik have pledged to invest N30 Billion and Air France are also looking to invest, all of this before phase 2 of the project is complete.

To all those guys speaking in favour or against the new Airport in Akwa Ibom, I want to say this .Akwa ibom having an airport at this point in the state's life shouldnt recieve this hue and cry.why?Katsina that was created with AKWA IBOM has had an airport even before YAR ADUA came into power as Gov of that state.The viability of it is another thing.Ibadan ,ondo,kwara all have airports that are  minimally or almost non existent when it comes to patronage but pple arent crying so loud over it .Akwa ibom airport will always have more tarffic than the above named airports joined together.why?because like one of the posters said, 80% of pple that fly through the calabar airport are akwa ibomites and akwa ibom is their last destination so why  not make it possible that your people can fly directly than pass thru calabar and spend two to three hours on the road.

Secondly,people are talking so much about the crowd of pple that came out,whats the fuss there?Majority will definately be politcal supporters brought up by their political god fathers and a sizeable proportion will  be enthusiasts who want to catch the fill and fun of a new thing coming to their place even though they might not use it because of their present economic situation.

Thirdly,Akwa ibom govt collects more money from the federation account  than the states in the whole of NORTH WEST and should be able to develop facilities around them to make life worth living for its people if the Gov is visionary.Airports should be one of it as oil investors  and fun seekers are coming into the state in doves and an oil businessman going to Eket will prefer to fly to OKOBO{WHERE THE AIRPORT IS IN} and take a 25 mins trip to Eket or Uyo than pass thru Port harcourt or Calabar.

Development should be even spread in our societies so if its come in the form of an airport to open up Akwa Ibom, then the hue and cry is unnecessary.Akwa ibom state has the money and greater things should be expected.
I am more interested in the cost cos people have milked the state dry through this contract.we should focus more on accountability and not desirability.

Air france opens office in Uyo

http://thenationonlineng.net/web2/articles/23642/1/Air-France-lands-in-Akwa-Ibom-/Page1.html

Guys forget about the critics, Thank God for this Airport, my next visit will be more smooth

@ THE AMAKA

I do not know what to say but say job well done. To further elaborate on Nigeria, my wife still live in Nigeria until early January. Everytime ask her what is all this happening in Nigeria, she will said that she does not aware of such a thing is happening in Nigeria. Imaging that the father of former CBN is kidnapped and my wife do not know anything about it almost one week now. We that lives in abroad know what is happening in Nigeria minute by minute. But those that lives in Nigeria have no clue what is happening in their own country. No wonder that the corrupt politician will continue to loot the treasure because those innocents Nigerian has no clue of deprivation Nigeria leaders is keeping away from them.

As for the airport, I laugh when I saw it. Poor airport for poor people. Imaging that useless news man saying that is the second runway in Africa after Cairo. The news man lack knowledge and giving out misinformation. Why will airport look like a resident house? Airport with out terminal. Which new airport in the world without terminal. That airport will not see flight from International because it belows standard. International airlines are even managing Lagos airport. The plane touchdown and instead of brief smoke, I see dusks everywhere. Whoever say this is an international airport need to re-exam his/her head. Everything in Nigeria is a joke. New airport looks like bush. London new terminal was on CNN. Will this Akwa Ibom be on CNN too? the answer is no. Those people that was at the airport are still below third world country. That garbage airport will only (I said only) receive one plane per week that if there is traffic of people to that destination.

Someone measured that Ibadan is too close to Lagos. The problem is that people do not visit Nigeria unless those of us Nigerians that live in Abroad. Look at NYC and Newark. Are they not close. Look at Houston, San Antonio, Dallas and Austin. They are so close to each other and yet they all have their own international airport and local airports as well. Look at California area is the same thing. The problem with Nigeria is that Nigeria lack air traffic and our airports air not even close to international standard. Each state in Nigeria suppose to have their own international airport not to talk of each city like in USA. Nigeria to have visitors and that is the problems. The other thing is that our leaders have a baby brain. At this model world, they not suppose to build baby airport. They suppose to look around the world they have being traveling to and compare. Thinking of Nigeria, one will die. the country leaders lack knowledge period.

OvieE:

@ THE AMAKA

I do not know what to say but say job well done. To further elaborate on Nigeria, my wife still live in Nigeria until early January. Everytime ask her what is all this happening in Nigeria, she will said that she does not aware of such a thing is happening in Nigeria. Imaging that the father of former CBN is kidnapped and my wife do not know anything about it almost one week now. We that lives in abroad know what is happening in Nigeria minute by minute. But those that lives in Nigeria have no clue what is happening in their own country. No wonder that the corrupt politician will continue to loot the treasure because those innocents Nigerian has no clue of deprivation Nigeria leaders is keeping away from them.

As for the airport, I laugh when I saw it. Poor airport for poor people. Imaging that useless news man saying that is the second runway in Africa after Cairo. The news man lack knowledge and giving out misinformation. Why will airport look like a resident house? Airport with out terminal. Which new airport in the world without terminal. That airport will not see flight from International because it belows standard. International airlines are even managing Lagos airport. The plane touchdown and instead of brief smoke, I see dusks everywhere. Whoever say this is an international airport need to re-exam his/her head. Everything in Nigeria is a joke. New airport looks like bush. London new terminal was on CNN. Will this Akwa Ibom be on CNN too? the answer is no. Those people that was at the airport are still below third world country. That garbage airport will only (I said only) receive one plane per week that if there is traffic of people to that destination.

Someone measured that Ibadan is too close to Lagos. The problem is that people do not visit Nigeria unless those of us Nigerians that live in Abroad. Look at NYC and Newark. Are they not close. Look at Houston, San Antonio, Dallas and Austin. They are so close to each other and yet they all have their own international airport and local airports as well. Look at California area is the same thing. The problem with Nigeria is that Nigeria lack air traffic and our airports air not even close to international standard. Each state in Nigeria suppose to have their own international airport not to talk of each city like in USA. Nigeria to have visitors and that is the problems. The other thing is that our leaders have a baby brain. At this model world, they not suppose to build baby airport. They suppose to look around the world they have being traveling to and compare. Thinking of Nigeria, one will die. the country leaders lack knowledge period.

Nice write up, but there's a lot a 'gunshot'    in the grammar. Please edit your writeups properly b4 posting.
Thanks

wow so as we approach 2010 people are amazed at an airport and planes landing.

i thank God for my exposure if this is what its like in nigeria

Jesus wept!!!!!!!!!!

redsky1:

wow so as we approach 2010 people are amazed at an airport and planes landing.

i thank God for my exposure if this is what its like in nigeria

Jesus wept!!!!!!!!!!

so you feel this is the first airport and airplane in Nigeria.

Can we be positive 4 once, afterall other govs hav done nothng, Godwill Akpabio is trying, atleast u guys are talking abt it.Is true dat ALL cannot afford d luxury of flying which means all fingers are not equal, get d drift n bear in mind dat Akwa Ibom State is so in progress.Peace!

CHAIRMAN1:

Nice write up, but there's a lot a 'gunshot' in the grammar. Please edit your writeups properly b4 posting.
Thanks

I know. I couldn't resist this topic so I hurry to write it while I was working. I would have review it but there is no time. My supervisor is everywhere.

Anyway, thanks.

@ OvieE
you still made some grammatical blunders like mixing past tense with present tense. Supervisor or no supervisor u committed blunders accept it and take correction.
My guy,take no offence and i want to correct certain misconceptions found in your write up. When you go abroad, dont forget how you left home and how the level of development is .To me it is irrational comparing those airport in NY ,Texas and what we have in a state in NIgeria. We are not at par in terms of development and advancement in ,
and there is absolutely no basis for comparism.We should strive to have these things done with satndards and not all these criticisms flying around.
Akwa ibom etal Nigeria is a third world developing country and there is bound to have challenges.We should pray that our leaders shouldnt be shallow minded and stltifies in thinking so that they embrace positive things nd innovations they see abroad.
mY GUY, WE WILL GET THERE, Just have faith and hope in your country for once.Abroad na ABROAD.home is home.

s

passionup:

@ OvieE
you still made some grammatical blunders like mixing past tense with present tense. Supervisor or no supervisor u committed blunders accept it and take correction.
My guy,take no offence and i want to correct certain misconceptions found in your write up. When you go abroad, dont forget how you left home and how the level of development is .To me it is irrational comparing those airport in NY ,Texas and what we have in a state in NIgeria. We are not at par in terms of development and advancement in ,
and there is absolutely no basis for comparism.We should strive to have these things done with satndards and not all these criticisms flying around.
Akwa ibom etal Nigeria is a third world developing country and there is bound to have challenges.We should pray that our leaders shouldnt be shallow minded and stltifies in thinking so that they embrace positive things nd innovations they see abroad.
mY GUY, WE WILL GET THERE, Just have faith and hope in your country for once.Abroad na ABROAD.home is home.

I am not here to argue with you. I should have go back and review what I wrote but time was tight for me when I was at work. Thank for point it out.  As for having faith in Nigeria has passed. Decades after decades I will never rest with pray and have faith. Day after day, Nigeria is going down. Poverties are more than what you cannot think of. Do you the state of Nigeria roads today? Nigeria leaders are setting traps on roads instead of setting traps in bush for animals. Nigeria has money to able to stand with European countries in any competition. But today, Nigeria is a country call hell. Somalia, Afghanistan, Iraq and other most poorest country are better than Nigeria. Do you know why I said that? If you have been reading about UN, you will find out that Nigerians seek more asylum than countries that are in war. That is pathetic.  Read this below:[/b]

When everything fails, ask for asylum
By Levi Obijiofor

IT must have come to many of us as a shock that, at a time of relative peace, when our politicians are still celebrating the "dividends" of democracy, many Nigerians are queuing in western countries pleading for recognition as asylum seekers. What could have driven over 7,000 Nigerians to lodge asylum applications in western countries within the first six months of this year alone? Take a look at the figures contained in the report, released by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (also referred to as the UN Refugee Agency), and published in The Guardian edition of Tuesday, October 27, 2009. The figures are startling.

If our political leaders have any sense of shame and responsibility, they must be concerned that in 2009 alone, Nigeria has shot into global notoriety as one of the "main countries of origin of asylum seekers". Worst still, Nigeria has also made history as the country with "the highest percentage increase among the major source countries of asylum seekers". When reference is made about the source countries of asylum seekers, we expect to see in the list countries that are experiencing political instability such as Iraq, Afghanistan and Somalia. We do not expect to see Nigeria in the list. Now, the reality has hit us.

According to The Guardian, in 2008, the number of asylum seekers from Nigeria rose to "2,471 in the first quarter, 2,761 in the second, 4,014 in the third quarter and a record 4,442 at the end of the last quarter. While the rise between last year and this year is 47 per cent, the rise between 2007 and 2008 was higher at 69 per cent." While some people might argue that these figures are insignificant when considered against the background of Nigeria's population, yet the notion that Nigerians are asking for asylum in progressively large numbers in developed countries should alarm everyone.

Just between 2007 and 2008, the UN Refugee Agency recorded a surge in the number of Nigerian citizens requesting for asylum in the developed world. The trend is deeply worrying. Why? Nigeria is blessed with human and natural resources that could easily have been harnessed by other less endowed countries to propel themselves into positions of economic strength and international recognition. Nigeria symbolises the prodigal son who squandered glorious opportunities shoved onto its laps.

The terms "asylum seeker" and "refugee" are often misused or misapplied when public debate ensues about who is qualified to be classified as an "asylum seeker" or a "refugee". The UN Refugee Agency makes a clear distinction between an "asylum seeker" and a "refugee". According to the agency, "An asylum seeker is a person who has left their country of origin, has applied for recognition as a refugee in another country, and is awaiting a decision on their application." What about a refugee? How should we describe a refugee? The UN agency also defines a refugee as someone who "owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group, or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality, and is unable to or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country, "

So, how are refugees different from other categories of people seeking protection from other countries or the UN agency? The UN Refugee Agency states categorically that "Refugees are forced to leave their countries because they have been persecuted or have a well-founded fear of persecution. Refugees run away. They often do not know where they will end up. Refugees rarely have the chance to make plans for their departure such as packing their personal belongings or saying farewell to loved ones. Many refugees have experienced severe trauma or have been tortured."

Some human rights advocates tell us that some asylum seekers fit that description perfectly. Some people equally argue that the difference in the definitions is all about semantic ambiguity. Semantics or not, Nigeria is now associated with countries that produce high numbers of people seeking asylum in the developed world. Why are Nigerians applying for asylum in other countries? The answers are inside Nigeria.

If we want to understand why many Nigerians are seeking asylum in other countries, we must look at the failure of leadership, the disappointments we have lived with since independence and the lack of hope in the horizon. We boast about our precious oil resources but we can't demonstrate how we have used oil revenue to develop our country. In a disorderly country such as ours, strange things will continue to happen.

Nigeria has been experimenting with western democracy for the past ten years (1999-2009). Regrettably, we have nothing to show for it. We were promised in 1999 that democracy would herald economic prosperity, that foreign investors would make Nigeria their second home, that democracy would engender greater accountability and responsibility in government, that politicians would spurn corruption and that ours would be a healthy deliberative democracy in which everyone would be free to participate.

All we can show after 10 years of noisy parliamentary debate and the ritual of yearly presidential budgets are growing poverty, unemployment, decaying infrastructure, a decadent public service, public mortuaries that serve as public hospitals, poor quality of tertiary education worsened by constant disruptions to academic calendar, failure to use new technologies to improve our socioeconomic conditions, failure to generate and sustain electric power to serve the country, and a ravenous appetite for illegal acquisition of public property.

In a sense we are all guilty of the Nigerian situation. How? We failed to respond vigorously to certain aspects of Nigeria's political culture that have continued to undermine the progress of the country. How do we expect things to work in Nigeria when we watch apathetically as politicians mess the economy, when we vote during elections and politicians manipulate the results, when oil prospecting and drilling licences are issued on the basis of political party membership or ethnic and religious affiliation, while people in the oil producing parts of Nigeria are confronted with grinding poverty, including the deleterious effects of oil production and gas flaring on their environment?

Things have deteriorated in Nigeria because of the failure of civil society to hold the leaders accountable. The more indifferent we are to our situation, the worse things will get. Nigeria has remained a failed state essentially because everyone failed to act when things went wrong. When senior government officers are picked up for fraud, we feel astonished. It is not common in our environment for the untouchables to be prosecuted. That's why the nation was awed this week when a Lagos High Court sentenced Olabode George and five of his associates to years of imprisonment for various crimes. In our society, jailing high profile politicians and public officers is not common.

In sentencing Olabode George and his accomplices on Monday this week, Justice Olubunmi Oyewole demonstrated uncommon valour. He set out to correct the long established impression that certain categories of political leaders and public officers cannot be reprimanded or jailed when they abuse the law. He was adamant that George and his associates had committed serious crimes against Nigeria and that they must be punished. In a judgment that reverberated across the country for its legal and social implications, Justice Oyewole said emphatically: "When public office is abused, the entire populace is assaulted. This must not be condoned or treated with kid gloves. If the quality of service in our public life is to be altered to the appreciable standard of the civilised world, the right deterrent should be given. For the right deterrent to be served, therefore, sufficient firmness must be demonstrated."

Justice Oyewole deserves public commendation and recognition by his peers for his courage and determination to use high profile persons as examples to illustrate the point that in civilised societies no one is deemed to be above the law. For a long time, Nigeria has been perceived as a jungle where no law exists or where existing laws are largely disregarded. It is good to see that the judiciary is determined to ensure that laws are respected in our society, regardless of anyone's social status, political class and place of birth.

There are many genuine and serious reasons why people seek asylum in other countries. However, seeking asylum in other countries must not be our natural response to failed leadership, economic hardships, social disorder, insecurity, corruption, lack of basic infrastructure, poor quality of education, and high crime rate in Nigeria.

SapeleGuy:

No mind dem. Ignorance & Bad Belle dey worry dem.

These are the same people who don't want to see anything good come out from Niger Delta.

Do you not run around spewing the same garbage about other people. You live in a glass house so quit throwing stones.

congratulations . . . . .hope it will be running in another few years, cos Nigeria has no idea what maintenance is all about.

Well done to the state government, maintenance is the next item on the agenda.

babapupa:

Do you not run around spewing the same garbage about other people. You live in a glass house so quit throwing stones.

Give a concrete example (evidence) of this garbage. A word of advice, don't take constructive criticism as an attack on your ethnicity.

chei!akwa ibom ado ok!!

wow!
this is both fun and interesting. From reading about aviators-in the making-and furious Nigerians home and abroad, the fun is unending. I do however, have this to say:
No doubt, that, most Nigerian leaders lack wisdom. They're thieves too. This is granted and it's evident is picking projects that aren't grassroot, rather, one they can get rich from.

No doubt, that, it's not quite fair considering the fact that we're bereft of good leaders, to compare Nigeria with UK or America. even if we're richer than all of them.

Also, for the fellow Nigerians living overseas, go easy with the criticisms. Nigeria is NOT hell, even if it is, it's no joy or pride to just throw it out there like that, please. Refrain from condemning the poor who are excited about a plane touch down. There could be several reasons for that. They could be genuinely excited, maybe they're paid to be there, maybe they're uneducated, non of these is actually all their fault. At least, we've also seen some harsh level of the lack of education here too, evident in the inability of posters to write properly. My point is that, let's be fair, pray for the best and do whatever we could. I think what everyone here on NL could do is speak considerably. attacking Nigeria and even the poor doesn't really cut it, however, if it makes you feel good, well then, maybe, but search your heart, WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR NIGERIA?

like i said before most of them will not even be able to step foot into this airport talk less of using it.
something more for the rich.
also they should be concerned about more basic issues like good roads, jobs, electricity, ect.
more common man things, at home things.
who gives a damn about an airport that probably wont even pass international standards anyway.
from the rest of the world, Nigeria is far behind when it comes to airport and airport equipment.

thats why port harcourt i believe was closed down and still closed down.
air france always had something happen to them on coming in port harcourt.
the first time i went to nigeria we came in throug PH (before it got closed down) it was like a CRASH LANDING!!
everything was shaky and when i stepped out of the plane to see where we were i was thinking "no wonder"

like someone else said, they are even still coping with lagos sef.
na wa oooo.
shouting over a plane.

well i guess they are happy but this should be the least of their worries.
how many people can this employ?

OvieE:

@ THE AMAKA

I do not know what to say but say job well done. To further elaborate on Nigeria, my wife still live in Nigeria until early January. Everytime ask her what is all this happening in Nigeria, she will said that she does not aware of such a thing is happening in Nigeria. Imaging that the father of former CBN is kidnapped and my wife do not know anything about it almost one week now. We that lives in abroad know what is happening in Nigeria minute by minute. But those that lives in Nigeria have no clue what is happening in their own country. No wonder that the corrupt politician will continue to loot the treasure because those innocents Nigerian has no clue of deprivation Nigeria leaders is keeping away from them.

As for the airport, I laugh when I saw it. Poor airport for poor people. Imaging that useless news man saying that is the second runway in Africa after Cairo. The news man lack knowledge and giving out misinformation. Why will airport look like a resident house? Airport with out terminal. Which new airport in the world without terminal. That airport will not see flight from International because it belows standard. International airlines are even managing Lagos airport. The plane touchdown and instead of brief smoke, I see dusks everywhere. Whoever say this is an international airport need to re-exam his/her head. Everything in Nigeria is a joke. New airport looks like bush. London new terminal was on CNN. Will this Akwa Ibom be on CNN too? the answer is no. Those people that was at the airport are still below third world country. That garbage airport will only (I said only) receive one plane per week that if there is traffic of people to that destination.

Someone measured that Ibadan is too close to Lagos. The problem is that people do not visit Nigeria unless those of us Nigerians that live in Abroad. Look at NYC and Newark. Are they not close. Look at Houston, San Antonio, Dallas and Austin. They are so close to each other and yet they all have their own international airport and local airports as well. Look at California area is the same thing. The problem with Nigeria is that Nigeria lack air traffic and our airports air not even close to international standard. Each state in Nigeria suppose to have their own international airport not to talk of each city like in USA. Nigeria to have visitors and that is the problems. The other thing is that our leaders have a baby brain. At this model world, they not suppose to build baby airport. They suppose to look around the world they have being traveling to and compare. Thinking of Nigeria, one will die. the country leaders lack knowledge period.

very very true! 100% true in fact.
everyday my mom reads the news that is happening in nigeria and when she calls back to nigeria she gives them the news.
come on!! it should be the other way around.
they should be calling us giving us the news about what is happening in their own country.
most of nigeria's citizens are so unaware, the government will continue to rob them and rob them again.
but i cant blame them.
its basic infastructure that is causing all this.
basic things. tsk tsk.

This video is really funny, people haven't seen planes landing, it's actually cool though

I don't think most state have up to highs of 8 figures ($) to build a standard (not luxury like LHR) international airport, I was suprised when the guy said the runway was the second largest in Africa. Wait a second, are they going to eat the runway or what? I don't think that's correct though. I think having a local airfield that's well equipped would do rather than waste all that money on an airport that has no terminal or ones that they take light quite often .

Hope Ibom will be the first state to have world-class hospitals to attract people to the state.

^^^Yeah, Certainly. . . In a little while!

what about Akwa ibom witches and wizards ?

facility maintenance is a real challenge to airport. hope this one will provide exceptional service

@Post
And so bleeping what

Akwa Ibom Ado OK

like i said before most of them will not even be able to step foot into this airport talk less of using it.
something more for the rich.
also they should be concerned about more basic issues like good roads, jobs, electricity, ect.
more common man things, at home things.
who gives a damn about an airport that probably wont even pass international standards anyway.
from the rest of the world, Nigeria is far behind when it comes to airport and airport equipment.

thats why port harcourt i believe was closed down and still closed down.
air france always had something happen to them on coming in port harcourt.
the first time i went to nigeria we came in throug PH (before it got closed down) it was like a CRASH LANDING!!
everything was shaky and when i stepped out of the plane to see where we were i was thinking "no wonder"

like someone else said, they are even still coping with lagos sef.
na wa oooo.
shouting over a plane.

well i guess they are happy but this should be the least of their worries.
how many people can this employ?

@AMAKA

cool with the criticism,am in the us too and its not all that,matter of fact most AVERAGE nigerians live better and happier lives than a average american,when adjusted for income,
listen the airport is a state airport,the state decided it needed it so it built it,i hope u know that an airport can be used as a base to boost economic activity,ethiopia does this,same with singapore
also someone provided a link where air france has already opened an office there so its good
Portharcourt airport is open now,was closed due to non fencing,but i believe they did the fencing and its open,
the thing that worries me about u foriegn critics is that,pls compare nigeria to india,china or indonesia, those places have poor ppl too that would rejoice at opening an airport
places like inland china,most places in indonesia and india are still very poor too,but they are still developing just like us
Finally i think america is all mago mago,the development u see around u is all built on debt,one day that house built on sand will fall down,they have problems in california now and the u.s as a whole is a ticking debt bomb waiting to explode, at least in naija we spend what we have and leave the rest to allah or god or whateva

they say if u have nothing positive to add,then just keep mum, an airport is a physical link to the world,even with our cyber link now,but its good dont kill peoples dreams,a little boy will see that plane landing and taking off and it will inspire him to dream big and make him happy,i know cause thats how i was growing up in lagos and driving with my dad to the island with those big buildings i wanted to design and build tall buildings when i grow up,let the people be pls

@ THE AMAKA

i must be an aviation freak because ive been flying airplanes for two decades
and not giving up soon. Lets talk.

sandee575:

@ THE AMAKA

i must be an aviation freak because ive been flying airplanes for three decades
and not giving up soon. Lets talk.

youre a pilot?

@ THE-AMAKA,

Yes, ive been one for as long as i mentioned. Presently flying the
B-737 700/800NG and asking myself why anyone should be paying
me for having all this fun.

sandee575:

@ THE-AMAKA,

Yes, ive been one for as long as i mentioned. Presently flying the
B-737 700/800NG and asking myself why anyone should be paying
me for having all this fun.

ahhh i gotta log out now. but i wish to chat with you oooo
ive never had the opportunity to talk to a pilot, thats one of my biggest dreams!!
flying seems so much fun, aviation is a passion of mine (on the side. lol)
thanks oooo.
do you work in Nigeria, and for what airline?