The airport seems to be urgently needed by Anambra people, especially after waiting for eternity for the FGN approval. I wish them all the luck. They need it

Read this below

After a long wait by Anambra State, the Federal Ministry of Aviation has finally given approval for the establishment of an airport which is to be located around the operational area of Orient Petroleum in the state.

The state’s Commissioner for Information and Culture, Majah Umeh, who broke the news in Awka on Tuesday evening, said the airport is to be located at Ifite Umueri in Anambra East Local Council Area.

Umeh, who briefed the press on the outcome of the state’s Executive Council (exco) meeting, said what now is left for the state, is the acquisition of land to enable work begin immediately on the project.

Though the airport which when completed will serve as a cargo airport is to be established in conjunction with Orient Petroleum, Umeh said the state government is committed to fulfilling due process and all the requirements of the Ministry of Aviation for the establishment of airport.

His words: “We have gone through all tests and they have given approval for the construction of an airport that will be sited at Ifite-Umueri in Anambra East Local Government and Anambra State people are happy about it.”

Uche2nna:

We are waiting for U and Manny to come and start up an airline in Onitsha that will charge 4,000 naira. I go even patronize una.

Manny's figures are idealistic, far from the reality called Nigeria.

Shoot, look we are coming very soon, lol. Hey, why is that far from reality in Nigeria? I mean airlines in Europe and U.S. spend more than they would in Nigeria I would assume, I mean the from entire operations. Even though if its not 4,000, at least a competitive rate of N5,500 would do right for it too be real, right?

babapupa:



Must we always run to America with the comparisons? Why not start with MM2 in our own backyard?

Certainly not, besides I was only re quoting what you said "govt shouldn't be building airports", I asked you is that in general or particularly for Lagos and you said "in general" and so the story goes on. I was trying to make mere comparison because you used a broad term when u said "in general" and nope we don't have compare to the U.S., I bet even in Europe and also many other African nations also. I mean hey, I see that you was only referring to only airports in Nigeria, although I'm cautious at same time, I withdraw my comments.

I saw one title somewhere today, which reads, , to build an airport. I will confirm the state. I know it is not Anambra, because it is already in the news.

Hey hey hey!!!

How come most pple on this forum are so backward and negative? Is it that we don't know that are Airport will reduce the stress on Niger Bridge?

Is building an Airport in Anambra state, a well known commercial state for that matter a crime?

Abeg some of u on this forum should learn how to respond to threads abeg.

In my own opinion, building an airport in Anambra state is a welcome idea.

It will create jobs for so many people and at least make travelling much easier. As a matter of fact,

I believe every state in Nigeria should at least a local airport.

thats good news.
we need progects, that is devpt .

This is certainly to confirm that Anambra people are indeed a great people. Check out the tread and response, everyone is contributing to this piece. Deltans are praying it never works, God wont answer their prayer. Anambra State, Simply the best

wat actually is happenin in d dredgin of d river niger.Notin is goin on there again.is lyk they ve gone.i believe dat cargo airport was awarded long ago even not 2day.

egbeocha:

wat actually is happenin in d dredgin of d river niger.Notin is goin on there again.is lyk they ve gone.i believe dat cargo airport was awarded long ago even not 2day.

Yes, the airport talk and approval has been on long before now, but bureaucratic bottle-necks delayed it.

who was given the contract? Hope it was not given to one of the Anambra Political Godfathers?

It will be wonderful if Anambra can pull this off. Do you know the amount of traffic it will produce in the state? At the moment you have to get to Enugu to board a plane to Lagos. It is definitely a good thing. I just hope they will give the contract to capable builders and the architect is a morden day one not those colonial huts they built in Enugu and Port harcourt and called it an international airport.

Nigeria's population has increased so any airport should be able to handle at least 1,000 passengers every half an hour.

that is a welcome developement,it will ease stress on the only bridge accross river Niger,it will make the new river niger seaport more viable,it will make trade between lagos and onitsha sweet and easy.Traders will rush to osha,nnewi,ekwulobia,. passengers will travel at ease ,so during festivities people will not need cars much again,they will just fly from anypart of naija to osha,and plot their route from there.

Delta still need airport too and competition is good,when the hausa riot started in osha as reprisal to the one in north hausa people ran to Delta and had their settlement there,they form a market there called hausa market,but after a while many of them started coming back to osha,the hausa market in Asaba still dey and asaba people still dey go osha,some still buy from the market in asaba.
Happy PETER OBI understand the politics  of time and i tell u he has done nobel.to attract govt,private investents in anambra state

ikennahill:

that is a welcome developement,it will ease stress on the only bridge accross river Niger,it will make the new river niger seaport more viable,it will make trade between lagos and onitsha sweet and easy.Traders will rush to osha,nnewi,ekwulobia,. passengers will travel at ease ,so during festivities people will not need cars much again,they will just fly from anypart of naija to osha,and plot their route from there.

Delta still need airport too and competition is good,when the hausa riot started in osha as reprisal to the one in north hausa people ran to Delta and had their settlement there,they form a market there called hausa market,but after a while many of them started coming back to osha,the hausa market in Asaba still dey and asaba people still dey go osha,some still buy from the market in asaba.
Happy PETER OBI understand the politics  of time and i tell u he has done nobel.to attract govt,private investents in anambra state

What a way to apply diplomacy!

What happened to Oba international airport?

I hope it is not another of Nigerias kind of International airport.

zoogy2007:

What happened to Oba international airport?

Yes, I have heard of that project before now, please what happened to it? Please any with idea about it?.

Peter obi reasoned that oba airport is not strategically positioned.

How? please explain?

Uche2nna:

There are certain goods that U wont even think about using Airplanes to transport.

Also, paying extra money to transport ur goods will not be helpful if it wipes out all ur profit at the end.

Even at present, the traders have the option of using the modern luxurious buses to transport their goods and that should arrive relatively earlier than using the 911 trucks but once again, it is expensive and they opt for the trucks. Now u are suggesting they use airplanes LOL

I am not in anyway against an airport, there are people who can afford it and it will be helpful, but they really should do something about those roads that actually accounts for 100 percent of the traffic as we speak.

Actually I think its cheaper usin airplane to transport goods. Its also low risk

The international cargo is being built wit Orient refinery in mind. Built to serve as link between orient and the rest of the world. Aviation fuel will be sold at the airport. Seems airlines in nigeria go to Ghana just to refuel. Below is an interview. Orrient executive u ll understand the need for the airport

MD OF ORIENT INTERVIEWD: IT IS SO ENRICHING ESPECIALLY ON THE AREA OF THE ONGOING ANAMBRA INTERNATIONAL CARGO AIRPORT. WOW!!!!!!


Since its incorporation in 2001, Orient Petroleum Resources PLC has been silently but effectively working towards putting Anambra State in the elite league of oil producing states in Nigeria.

On August 30, the president and commander-in-chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces, Goodluck Jonathan, will be in Anambra State to commission and flag off projects in the state on the invitation of the governor, Peter Obi. Orient Petroleum is among the outfits to be commissioned.

In this exhaustive interview, the managing director and chief executive officer of Orient Petroleum, Engr Nnaemeka Nwawka, lays bare all the facts about the company and how prepared they are to receive the president. Excerpts.

A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN HEARING ABOUT ORIENT PETROLEUM BUT QUITE A FEW ACTUALLY KNOW WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT. SO CAN YOU USE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLAIN WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT?

Orient Petroleum Resources is 100% Nigerian company which was set up to be able to harness hydro-carbon deposits which have been in Anambra Basin for many years, to harness the hydro-carbon deposits, to refine the hydro-carbons and to sell the refined products in the market, in the on-land market in Nigeria because you know that while you can buy petrol very cheaply in Port-Harcourt and Lagos, as you come in-land these products become very scarce.

So Orient decided to now take the crude oil from where it is being produced and refine it in-land and sell it in-land too to ease the shortage of refined products in the hinterland of Nigeria.

WHEN DID ORIENT START BUSINESS AND HOW HAS THE JOURNEY BEEN?

The company was incorporated in 2001 and then it applied for the refinery licences in 2002 when the federal government threw open the refining business to independent companies. You know it used to be a monopoly before 2002. The refining business was a monopoly of NNPC just like NEPA before they threw it open to private generators. So in the same way, Obasanjo's government in 2002 threw it open to independent refining companies and Orient was one of 65 companies that applied at that time and ours was the first one to be approved and we had the licence to establish. It was given to us in May 2002 to establish a refinery and since then we've been working to establish a refinery.

In the process of establishing a refinery we had to find a source of crude oil and then we went to the federal government and then they granted us the oil blocs which appeal to our refinery for us to develop the oil and refine it there which was our vision. So we got these oil blocs in 2005 and since then we've been shooting sites and developing the wells and what the president will be commissioning on the 30th of August is the first well which has been completed and is producing oil and the president will commission it and that's one of the first wells to produce oil to the refinery.

WHAT'S THE CAPACITY?
The refinery we're setting up is 55, 000 barrels per day. The first module of it which will be installed as from 3 months from now is 20, 000 barrels per day. The first well that's producing is about 2, 000 barrels per day so we have to get some more wells to fill the 20, 000 barrels per day capacity. So as we're installing the refinery we'll be drilling other wells and hooking them up so that before the refinery is finished we would have hooked up enough wells to produce 20, 000 barrels per day to feed the refinery.

WHERE EXACTLY IS ORIENT REFINERY LOCATED?
Our head office is in Awka. The area of our oil blocs is about 2, 158 square kilometres. Two thirds of the oil blocs; the total area is 2, 158 square kilometres. The bulk of it is in Anambra North senatorial zone in parts of Oyi, Ayamelum, Anambra East and West; four local government areas and then part of it goes into Enugu State – Uzo Uwani Local Government; Kogi State; Delta in Oshimili Local Government Area; a part of it is in Edo State as well. Oil blocs cover this but the refinery itself is located at Nsugbe; at the boundary between Nsugbe and Umuleri. There we have about 320 hectares which is already being developed. We've levelled it and we're ready to put refinery on top of it.

HOW HAS THE ANAMBRA STATE GOVERNMENT BEEN SUPPORTIVE OF THIS PROJECT?

Very supportive. It's one of the biggest investors in Orient Petroleum. It has invested a lot of money. Rivers State government is also an investor, Kogi State; so is Enugu. We are cosmopolitan; there are many investors from the south west of Nigeria - from Lagos, from the north. We have many people who have invested in the company. Apart from investing, the Anambra State government has been passionate about succeeding with industrialisation; that is really the key. The state government sees that to move forward you have to industrialise the state so it won't be depending on federal allocation. But if you create industries you are actually improving the state's economy; you will be creating so many well paid jobs and then there will spin-offs. If you have Orient refinery there will be other people who will be making products which will use the refined products as input for their own. Example, if we have gas we will be supplying it to people who need heat like burnt bricks or bakery but even industries around Onitsha and Nnewi; we pipe gas to them, so instead of using diesel they will now use natural gas which is cleaner burning than diesel.

So you don't have to be servicing your generator; changing the nozzles and all that because the oil is the one that plugs the nozzle but if you're using gas, it is a very clean burning fuel. So the spin-off of the oil refinery is enormous. We will be supplying gas to even as far as 9th Mile where the Nigeria Breweries has already approached us to supply them gas. We will be supplying gas to Nkalagu cement. So you can see this entire area will benefit from the presence of Orient Petroleum and the governor, Mr. Peter Obi, realises this and has been pushing for this. He realises that once this takes off there will be a lot of spin-off. It will create entrepreneurial opportunities for industries and commercial outfits to latch on to this to develop.

THERE'S TALK ABOUT AN AIRPORT PROJECT THERE. CAN YOU ELUCIDATE ON THAT?

Yes, there will be an airport. I spoke about Orient Petroleum Resources PLC being a holding company. The holding company has four subsidiaries. One subsidiary is the refining of petro-chemical component which is going to operate the refinery; the second is the one that is about producing oil and gas; that is called the exploration and production subsidiary. Then we have a subsidiary which is gas and power which is supplying gas to Nkalagu cement, to breweries at 9th Mile, and possibly to this SABmiller Brewery in Onitsha. The final one is the infrastructure and services which will look after the airport and other infrastructure like housing and so on which will support the operations of the other three subsidiaries.

So the vision was that Orient will be a vertically integrated company. It derives its own raw materials, sells its products; provides its services. The airport was supposed to provide an outlet for aviation kerosene which is one of the products of the refinery. So planes will land there and load with aviation kerosene. That's the aviation fuel (ATK). So there will be a pipeline that takes aviation kero there; the aircraft will load and we can be selling aviation kero to Kano International Airport, to Lagos, even to Ghana and other places right from that point. So the airport itself is to provide an outlet for aviation kero and also it will provide a quick source of spares. Let's say you need something in the refinery, you fly it in. So we do have licence from the federal government to set up an international cargo airport to fly in materials there. This airport is located in about 1,200 hectares of land in Ifite Umuleri. It's already surveyed and work will start very soon now that we have income from the oil production.

SO HOW SOON DO YOU RECKON THE AIRPORT WILL BE READY?

The airport will be constructed in phases just like the refinery. The first phase will be the runway and the cargo shed. Those ones could be done in 18 months and then the next phase will be the second runway so that it will be like Abuja which is getting the second runway. Lagos already has two runways. So we're looking far ahead. These runways are of international standard; the ICAO standard (International Civil Aviation Authority).

They're long enough to take a Boeing 747 cargo. The biggest jumbo jet can land in the airport; that's why it's so long; 1,300 hectares and the runway is about 4 kilometres. It's longer than Enugu and Asaba airports. It's again futuristic to make sure that in 20 years to come it will still be serving us.

SO IT WILL BE STRICTLY A CARGO AIRPORT AND NOT FOR COMMERCIAL PURPOSES?

Not quite. The licence is for international cargo and domestic passengers. So you can have passengers who are inside Nigeria. It's not international passenger; it can't take off from there and fly to London; no, but I can bring in materials from outside the country and fly materials out of the country; that's cargo, but the airport itself can operate as a domestic airport. It will have a runway and a terminal building. The one in Enugu is international passenger airport but this one is international cargo.

DOES THE STATE HAVE ANY SHARE IN THE PROFITS?
The state government has three percent share.
ANY CONSTRAINTS SO FAR?
Our major constraint has been the weakness of Nigerian banks to be able to fund this enterprise. All the money which has been spent here is equity; contributions by shareholders because the banks are so weak that they're not able to lend the kind of money which we require to build a refinery or even build an airport. The liquid cash that the banks have are so small so the main constraint for any industrialisation in Nigeria is actually the lending power of the Nigerian banks. They cannot support this scale of activity. So the project has been slowed down because of this. For instance I had to sell my houses to raise my own personal money to invest in this (Orient). In a civilised society I can mortgage my house; they give me cash and I do this for the benefit of everyone but now I have to squeeze myself, the directors have to squeeze themselves and bring in money and that's why it's so slow.

So if we had all the money this time would have been history about five years ago.

WHO ARE THE DIRECTORS?
The chairman of the company is Chief Emeka Anyaoku, former secretary-general of Anambra State. The vice chairman is Dr Alex Ekwueme, vice president of Nigeria. I'm the MD and chief executive officer. We have other directors; we have Engineer Sunny Okoye who is the executive director; we have Engineer Ikemefuna who's also executive director of the holding company.

IN TERMS OF PRODUCTION CAPACITY, HOW DO YOU RATE ORIENT AGAINST OTHER REFINERIES?

There four NNPC refineries: two in Port Harcourt, one in Warri and one in Kaduna. The name plate capacity which is what they could do when they were set up was 445, 000 barrels per day. So at the moment they're doing less than 20 percent of that; they're doing less than 80, 000 barrels per day and that's between the four of them; so maybe 20, 000 barrels each. So at 20, 000 barrels per day of ours we should be about equal of each of them at their present capacity. We're at par. 20, 000 barrels per day is good; that's what they used to have in Ghana and Sierra-Leone, in Ivory Coast.

The federal government is thinking of buying six of those small refineries. It was announced the federal government would spend 4.5 billion dollars to buy six of refineries like ours. These are comparable sizes for refineries. These are modular. Modular is that you can carry in small bits and set up so that you don't have to stay on site and weld all the vessels but if you have beyond 55, 000 barrels per day then you have to weld every tower on site and that takes five years to complete.

AFTER THE PRESIDENT'S VISIT WHAT NEXT? SHOULD WE EXPECT FULL PRODUCTION?

After his visit we will have full production of oil and gas. The gas that will come, we will make LPG out of it. As I told you we already have outlets for electricity; we have outlets for gas; we have outlets for the oil. In the mean time we will be drilling more oil wells such that by the time that our refinery is ready in 12 months time we will have enough oil to produce 20, 000 barrels per day into the refinery and then we refine. The products we will refine will be petrol, diesel, aviation kerosene and LPG; four products which are very scarce in Nigeria. You know planes land in Nigeria and go to Ghana to refuel because there is no aviation kero and the one we have here is imported from outside.


http://www.thenigerianvoice.com/nvnews/97490/1/orient-petroleum-has-come-to-stay.html

Methinks it wouldn't be a bad idea to liase and support the Asaba International Airport for this venture. I think it would be a waste of resources to build another airport in Aguleri just to sell aviation fuel,while there is a brand new International Airport in Asaba.Trucks can haul the aviation fuel to be well handled at the Asaba International Airport.

In fact,those giving these types of approval now are the same Igbo haters that have frustrated the Oba International airport.Their stock in trade is deceit and creating confusion. I hope Anambra people ignore them and not take the bait.

^^
Yes I agree d orient influenced airport is d most valuable profitable new airport of all d state proposed airports! But what I don't get is why it is lacking sufficent fund to execute, why d banks are shying away from offering d loan d promoters need for all d orient mega projects!!! There is no sure banker project like oil and gas projects.

The projects planned out at dat aguleri side is sure banker projects: crude oil producing and refining, gas sales to industries and gas power plants,internationl cargo/local airport,real estate projects....these are projects that once they start running will comfortable pay back the loans that were used to construct them! Why are the banks not eager to fund these well thought out fantastic orient projects They are d kind of projects foreign money lenders will die to fund.

If the banks are demanding that anambra state goverment should guarrantee or surety d loan,the govt should quickly obliged them. Because What the state stands to gain from these projects when they start functioning is enormous!

Its unimaginable what these projects can do to dat umuleri-otuocha area! It can comfortably start a new city there within 3yrs.

This is very disappointing.

Currently, there are no world class leaders in this country. Every senatorial zone wants to have an airport, hoping to charge landing fees to DANA Air.

Shame.

The Igbo people/ Easterners are not serious, just like their other counterparts, despite popular belief.

Why not come together and upgrade your own airport in Enugu or Owerri into a World Class facility, making it the premeir airport in the country?

Little cargo airports all over the place, which cant even handle Ethipion Air flights, with no good road, or bridge (which will soon fall into River Naija).

mens dept: This is very disappointing.

Currently, there are no world class leaders in this country. Every senatorial zone wants to have an airport, hoping to charge landing fees to DANA Air.

Shame.

The Igbo people/ Easterners are not serious, just like their other counterparts, despite popular belief.

Why not come together and upgrade your own airport in Enugu or Owerri into a World Class facility, making it the premeir airport in the country?

Little cargo airports all over the place, which cant even handle Ethipion Air flights, with no good road, or bridge (which will soon fall into River Naija).

Very unintelligent comment you made there! Have you read the reason for the anambra airport?? Pls go and read it again...first of all nigeria has d market and population for airports in all d 36 states of the federation, some might have high volume of travellers some might not.

If nigeria has like five world class carriers with each having not less than 60 aircrafts and are charging like 3000-5000 naira for an hour flight,do u tink d present airports we have now can handle d volume of air passengers that will be travelling by air and will want their filghts to land as near possible to their destinations! We are talking about 170 million people here and heading to 200 million soonest.

Since nigeria is heading to become the top 20 economies of d world, these amount of airports will definately crop up once d govt gets its economic polices right and current security challenges becomes a thing of past because the economy is growing whether you have noticed it or not

billante:

Very unintelligent comment you made there! Have you read the reason for the anambra airport?? Pls go and read it again...first of all nigeria has d market and population for airports in all d 36 states of the federation, some might have high volume of travellers some might not.

If nigeria has like five world class carriers with each having not less than 60 aircrafts and are charging like 3000-5000 naira for an hour flight,do u tink d present airports we have now can handle d volume of air passengers that will be travelling by air and will want their filghts to land as near possible to their destinations! We are talking about 170 million people here and heading to 200 million soonest.

Since nigeria is heading to become the top 20 economies of d world, these amount of airports will definately crop up once d govt gets its economic polices right and current security challenges becomes a thing of past because the economy is growing whether you have noticed it or not

Don't even bother yourself with all the fools. They will always want Anambra to partner them and develop them, but how many of them have come to partner and develop anything that concerns Anambra. If any state must build an airport it must be able know the viability of such project; the likes of Delta, Enugu and imo will not build an airport with Anambra in mind to patronize them. They must be able to patronize their own airport.

Orient Petroleum and Anambra is developing from the scratch a world class International Cargo Airport to cater for its major cities of Awka, Onitsha, Nnewi and other sub-cities of the state and even service adjoining towns of Kogi and Nsukka areas. Its going to be a hub airport that will bolster economic activities and with oil and gas companies springing up in the state.

Good a thing they have already surveyed the land and am sure that construction is ongoing to meet the timeline for completion.

chino24:



Don't even bother yourself with all the fools. They will always want Anambra to partner them and develop them, but how many of them have come to partner and develop anything that concerns Anambra. If any state must build an airport it must be able know the viability of such project; the likes of Delta, Enugu and imo will not build an airport with Anambra in mind to patronize them. They must be able to patronize their own airport.

Orient Petroleum and Anambra is developing from the scratch a world class International Cargo Airport to cater for its major cities of Awka, Onitsha, Nnewi and other sub-cities of the state and even service adjoining towns of Kogi and Nsukka areas. Its going to be a hub airport that will bolster economic activities and with oil and gas companies springing up in the state.

Good a thing they have already surveyed the land and am sure that construction is ongoing to meet the timeline for completion.

CHei, local people with local minds.

Those MAJOR cities you refer to are nothing more than glorified villages, with nothing but trash, cholera, and armed robbery.

This is Nigeria, which cant even manage anything, or will be looking for FG to take over a project.

How big is Anambra state that was created by rogue military men? These very poor, inconcieved, divide and rule, and unviable states are using their meager resources to do useless projects, or white elephant projects, all in the name of development.

I thought the FG was upgrading (for the last 10 years) the airport in Enugu for the REGION? I also thought Imo "Cargo" airport was to serve una abi?

You guys need to have a regional economic strategy, and not this inter-tribal local my own my own.

Dayum.

^

Why do you drink Panadol for another man's headache? At least Anambra is far and above your rural state where nothing works. Get it straight into your ear, we are not using your airport na by force? We are building our world class International Cargo airport and not those motor parks you ediots call airports.

Maybe you have comprehension problem, the MD of Orient said that Anambra state has only 3% share in the project. This is a clear statement that the company will take of the 97% of the cost of the project and also run it in line with international best practices. The Anambra/Orient International Cargo Airport will be the only viable airport in Nigeria after Abuja and Lagos.

Let me school you once again:


"Yes, there will be an airport. I spoke about Orient Petroleum Resources PLC being a holding company. The holding company has four subsidiaries. One subsidiary is the refining of petro-chemical component which is going to operate the refinery; the second is the one that is about producing oil and gas; that is called the exploration and production subsidiary. Then we have a subsidiary which is gas and power which is supplying gas to Nkalagu cement, to breweries at 9th Mile, and possibly to this SABmiller Brewery in Onitsha. The final one is the infrastructure and services which will look after the airport and other infrastructure like housing and so on which will support the operations of the other three subsidiaries.

So the vision was that Orient will be a vertically integrated company. It derives its own raw materials, sells its products; provides its services. The airport was supposed to provide an outlet for aviation kerosene which is one of the products of the refinery. So planes will land there and load with aviation kerosene. That's the aviation fuel (ATK). So there will be a pipeline that takes aviation kero there; the aircraft will load and we can be selling aviation kero to Kano International Airport, to Lagos, even to Ghana and other places right from that point. So the airport itself is to provide an outlet for aviation kero and also it will provide a quick source of spares. Let's say you need something in the refinery, you fly it in. So we do have licence from the federal government to set up an international cargo airport to fly in materials there. This airport is located in about 1,200 hectares of land in Ifite Umuleri. It's already surveyed and work will start very soon now that we have income from the oil production.

SO HOW SOON DO YOU RECKON THE AIRPORT WILL BE READY?

The airport will be constructed in phases just like the refinery. The first phase will be the runway and the cargo shed. Those ones could be done in 18 months and then the next phase will be the second runway so that it will be like Abuja which is getting the second runway. Lagos already has two runways. So we're looking far ahead. These runways are of international standard; the ICAO standard (International Civil Aviation Authority).

They're long enough to take a Boeing 747 cargo. The biggest jumbo jet can land in the airport; that's why it's so long; 1,300 hectares and the runway is about 4 kilometres. It's longer than Enugu and Asaba airports. It's again futuristic to make sure that in 20 years to come it will still be serving us."


DOES THE STATE HAVE ANY SHARE IN THE PROFITS?
The state government has three percent share.

^ Great vision for Anambra State. We also need passenger terminals alongside the Cargo. Possibly four runways airport.

chino24: ^

Why do you drink Panadol for another man's headache? At least Anambra is far and above your rural state where nothing works. Get it straight into your ear, we are not using your airport na by force? We are building our world class International Cargo airport and not those motor parks you ediots call airports.

Maybe you have comprehension problem, the MD of Orient said that Anambra state has only 3% share in the project. This is a clear statement that the company will take of the 97% of the cost of the project and also run it in line with international best practices. The Anambra/Orient International Cargo Airport will be the only viable airport in Nigeria after Abuja and Lagos.

Let me school you once again:


"Yes, there will be an airport. I spoke about Orient Petroleum Resources PLC being a holding company. The holding company has four subsidiaries. One subsidiary is the refining of petro-chemical component which is going to operate the refinery; the second is the one that is about producing oil and gas; that is called the exploration and production subsidiary. Then we have a subsidiary which is gas and power which is supplying gas to Nkalagu cement, to breweries at 9th Mile, and possibly to this SABmiller Brewery in Onitsha. The final one is the infrastructure and services which will look after the airport and other infrastructure like housing and so on which will support the operations of the other three subsidiaries.

So the vision was that Orient will be a vertically integrated company. It derives its own raw materials, sells its products; provides its services. The airport was supposed to provide an outlet for aviation kerosene which is one of the products of the refinery. So planes will land there and load with aviation kerosene. That's the aviation fuel (ATK). So there will be a pipeline that takes aviation kero there; the aircraft will load and we can be selling aviation kero to Kano International Airport, to Lagos, even to Ghana and other places right from that point. So the airport itself is to provide an outlet for aviation kero and also it will provide a quick source of spares. Let's say you need something in the refinery, you fly it in. So we do have licence from the federal government to set up an international cargo airport to fly in materials there. This airport is located in about 1,200 hectares of land in Ifite Umuleri. It's already surveyed and work will start very soon now that we have income from the oil production.

SO HOW SOON DO YOU RECKON THE AIRPORT WILL BE READY?

The airport will be constructed in phases just like the refinery. The first phase will be the runway and the cargo shed. Those ones could be done in 18 months and then the next phase will be the second runway so that it will be like Abuja which is getting the second runway. Lagos already has two runways. So we're looking far ahead. These runways are of international standard; the ICAO standard (International Civil Aviation Authority).

They're long enough to take a Boeing 747 cargo. The biggest jumbo jet can land in the airport; that's why it's so long; 1,300 hectares and the runway is about 4 kilometres. It's longer than Enugu and Asaba airports. It's again futuristic to make sure that in 20 years to come it will still be serving us."


DOES THE STATE HAVE ANY SHARE IN THE PROFITS?
The state government has three percent share.

So your point is what? Building cargo airports everywhere in a third world country? I guess Anambra people can decide to fly into the country through Boko Haram areas or Lagos, and then decide to take Dana Air to the East, or take the road, including encountering go-slow on the Niger Bridge that looks like its about to pop.

You want to know why Andy Uba is going to contest and probably win in 2014?

Because you guys are not serious.

Oboma1:

We are waiting to see what becomes of the project. I hope it will not be another Akure airport

Hello dude, Akure is nowhere on the face of the earth close to Anambra in terms of possessing the means to construct whatevere they desire regardless of whether the FG provides the money or not, all we need is their go ahead order as they just did, as Anambra state never waited for the FG to aid them financially in building the just completed Orient Refinery, savvy? Go get some rope and hang yourself, inside that your evil forest please.:p:p:p