₦airaland Forum

[size=18pt]Benin Airport Closure: FAAN MD Visits And Apologizes to Oshiomhole[/size]

Published on July 31, 2013 by · 2 Comments

JETHRO IBILEKE/Benin


Authorities of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) have apologized to the Edo State Government and air travellers over the incident which led to the closure of the Benin Airport on Tuesday.

Managing Director of FAAN, Mr. George Uriesi led other management staff to governor Adams Oshiomohole in his office in Benin City to tender the apology.

“We deeply regret the events of yesterday and we will like to find out how we can avoid a situation like this arising in the future, because it is neither in the interest of FAAN nor in the interest of Edo State Government for the Airport to be closed down, because there was a lot of hardship and serious economic consequences as a result of the shutdown and there is need to settle this matter.

“I want to assure Your Excellency that FAAN is a good corporate citizen. I am convinced that there was a misunderstanding and I want to get to the bottom of this misunderstanding so that it does not happen again.

“If we have any obligations, we will meet them, and I hope that in the future if there are issues of misunderstanding, we will be able to talk about them quickly without them leading to delays and inconveniences to the public. So, sir we are here to reassure you of our respects and desire to be good corporate citizens and partner with the State Government to deliver services to the people of Edo State,” Uriesi said.


Gov. Adams Oshiomhole, Edo State Governor.

In his response, Governor Oshiomhole noted that tax law was a federal law which the state government was only trying to implement.

He noted that the tax which FAAN defaulted on was the Pay As You Earn (PAYE) which even the President and Governors pay.

Oshiomhole said the State Board of Internal Revenue got a proper Court Order to seal the FAAN Manager’s Office, noting that the FAAN Manager on his own decided to seal up the Airport to gain public sympathy.

The Governor said the problem with Nigeria is not immunity, but impunity as people often violate the law and get away with it.

He insisted that anybody who works and lives in Edo State must pay tax as a contribution to the development of the State, adding that to avoid a re-occurrence of the ugly incident, FAAN must comply with the law.

He however, expressed his displeasure with the FAAN Manager, Benin Airport, Mr. Ayodele Sunday for dramatizing the issue, saying “I hope in future, this sort of thing does not happen.”

Others in the entourage included Mr. Yakubu Dati, General Manager, Mr. Kolawole Adefomiwa, Deputy General Manager, Mr. Adeboye Festus, the Chief Security Officer and Mr. Ayodele Sunday, Airport Manager.

[b][/b]

He has surely surprised me in terms of security.
This time last year we were hearing almost daily occurence of bomb blast.
I was thinking it can only get worse. But i am pleasantly surprise about the current situation.

Garri the 1st: That's the point!!

Niger-Delta is the richest in terms of Natural resources, yet has the worst set of leaders. Sadly many blame FG for neglecting the region whereas they have with them the very ones holding them down from moving forward.

Look at Delta and Bayelsa state and tell me why those states should be as they currently are, but for the mediocre leaders who have held sway(Including GEJ).These visionless leaders are the cog in the wheels of progress of the region.

The niger delta leaders are no different from leaders from other ethnic group in nigeria.
Why didn't you use Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Edo as example. Are they not doing well?

It seems the quick successive moves by the government has distabilized and confused those around boko haram.
First the government set up an amnesty commitee. Before the northern elders could organise themselves the government declared a state of emergency. Now Boko haram has been officially banned. I think these events have put a spanner in the works of those behind Boko haram. So am not surprise at the outburst of this professor.

I can understand the sceptism in this thread but i believe there is light at the end of the tunnel this time around.
There is a reason why this promise have been coming from the government very frequently lately. I believe it is because these guys know what is on the ground. Unlike before when it was a mere promise, this time there are concrete infratructures on the ground . The power plants are mostly ready. The pipes to supply them gas are mostly ready too. The ungrading of the national grid to be able to handle higher capacity is almost completed. There is a reason why foreign investors are pouring in to get a piece of this cake. I see no reason why Nigeria power generation cannot reach 10,000 MW by next year.

comedy

To ACN.... When you find yourself in a hole.. STOP DIGGING.

Wadeoye: Keep deceiving yourself. Buhari remains the only person that can chase gej out of power in 2015.

With no money, no much campaign, he single handedly gave pdp a tough fight in 2011.

emm.... Winning --- states out of 36 in the 2011 election does not sound like giving PDP a tough fight to me.

Let us join hands to congratulate this Governor.
This is a well built road. Let us give him some encouragement so he can do more.

Can't see anything special there.
Looks like one of those old buildings abroad.
Well, what do I know. To many, anything abroad is fantastic.

double post

nahinbdis: There you are!!!

FACT: The best roads in Benin are FEDERAL GOVT ROADS!


Benin Asaba road goes through Depot to Agbor Park, Ramat Park, Ikpoba Hill, Akpakpava, Ring Road, Sapele Road and then on to Benin-Sapele Expressway. Note that there is a branch off of this road at Ikpoba Hill through Murtala Muhammed Road on to Sapele Road and through Murtala Muhammed Road on to Upper Sakponba Road and Benin Abraka Road.

Benin-Auchi Expressway runs through Eyaen, Aduwawa and joins Benin-Asaba Express at Ramat Park

FACT: All of these roads are currently motorable! And it is not correct that Oshiomhole fixes Federal roads in Benin. He merely plants flowers along the median and a couple of other beautification works and then claims the projects as his own e.g. Akpakpava Road through to Sapele Road.

You are getting things mixed up.
The edo state government fixed a large section of Sapele road and Akpakpava road. Kindly note that fixing a road does not merely involved putting bitumen on it. The state government constructed storm drains, sidewalk and expanded the road All these are captured in the edo state budget which is still online for your verification.

Other major roads in the state like sapkoba road, siluku roads and airport road have also been expanded to six lanes with sidewalk by the state government. If you look closely at the pictures posted above, you will notice than there are additional lanes on both sides of the benin ore road (withing benin). That was done by the state government and it will includ underground drainage and side walk.

You are correct that all the major roads in benin are motorable. Infact they are all six lane dual carraige way with drainage and sidewalk. These are Airport road, Apkapkava, benin Ore road, sapele road, siluku roads. Each of these roads are around 5 miles long. Work have already started or about to start on other not so major roads like Ekenwan road, first east circuler road, second east circular road, third east circular road and Adesuwa road.

That is not to say the federal government are not doing well too. They have done really well. Infact in edo state, its like the federal government and the state government are in a competition of building roads. The federal government have done well in the benin ore road and also for the work that have started in the benin- abuja road.

The Benin Ore road should be six lanes and a hard shoulder on both sides.
But this is a very good start. When it comes to roads, GEJ government have been the best thing since slice bread.

When it comes to any discussion about GEJ, there are two groups of people that are full of lies and i pity them.

1. Those who cannot see any thing good his government is doing.

2. Those who cannot see anything bad his government is doing.

There have been unprecedented infractructural development under GEJ government but there are other areas that I will score him close to zero. Will i vote for him in 2015? I dont know yet. But i know I am not voting for any northern candidate. I will not use my hand to start phase two of the underdevelopment of the south again.

double post

I dont know if i will vote for GEJ but one thing is for sure, I AM NOT voting for any northern candidate.
We cannot afford to go back to the days of bondage. Now my eyes are clearer. There was an unwritten policy to underdevelop the south during those days of bondage.
For more than 25 years nearly all the federal roads in the south were bad while most in the north were good.
Why has it taken the presidency of GEJ less than 4 years to restore these bad federal government roads in the south?
Why has it taken the GEJ presidency to approve and build a port in the south east, something we all know is very crucial.
NOTE am not from the south east but i believe a port there will enhance the nigerian economy.

This brings me closer to answering your initial question of why i will vote for GEJ, if i did.
Well, for one the federal government roads are 70% better than what it use to be.
There is massive restoration in the train system
The airports are being rebuilt.
There is a gradual improvement in electricity.
First president that has the guts to order the police to stop checkpoints (this one affects the common man more)
The gas master plan which is crucial to the economy is being followed.

GEJ has tried within a short time but there are areas of his administration that leaves a sour taste. Will the bad side of his government be more than the good side? That is what i will decide in 2015, hence that is why i said from the begining that i dont know if i will vote for him. But what i know is that I AM NOT VOTING FOR ANY NORTHERN PERSON.

I believe this governor has a good heart but he is still doing things the old way.
For example those township roads does not seem to have a concrete or stone base. That is the old way we have been building roads and the result is the road is likely to go bad within a couple of years and the new government will have to do it all over again. We have high amount of rainfall in the south hence its very important that our roads have concrete or stone base otherwise they are likely to be washed away within a couple of years.

Another thing is the roads within the city does not seem to have covered drains. It may seem cheaper to do it this way now but it does not look good. Its a matter of time before another governor will have to put covered drainage in those roads. If that is done in the future, it will still not look brilliant. It would have been cheaper and look better if the roads and the covered drainage are done at the same time.

Other than that, i think this governor is really trying. Those building are brilliant.

django1: What really is the problem with bayelsa though?

They have the president, huge federal allocation, enough taxable oil companies and many illegal refineries(which the govt knows about). Still, they can't build shiit in that state!

The problem with Bayelsa is that they are 4 metres below the sea level. Hence before any construction can take place they have to remove all the muddy top soil and replace it with good soil from other states. That is why it takes a longer time to construct anything there and it also cost twice as much. The NIPP projects where started almost the same time and they are all coming to stream this year, but the one in Bayelsa is far from being completed because of the problem with the terrain.

This is very encouraging.In the first picture without proper drainage, i fear those red sand at the side of the road is going to be washed onto the road when it starts to rain. A welcome improvement.

More roads in Bside.

https://oshiomholefor2012.com/images/stories/oshio-web/works/2nd-west-circular-road.jpg
2nd-west-circular-road
https://oshiomholefor2012.com/images/stories/oshio-web/works/airport-road-dualization.jpg
airport-road
https://oshiomholefor2012.com/images/stories/oshio-web/works/Costain-Isonorho-junction-benin-city.jpg
Costain-Isonorho-junction
https://oshiomholefor2012.com/images/stories/oshio-web/works/akpakpava-night.jpg
akpakpava-night
https://oshiomholefor2012.com/images/stories/oshio-web/works/siluko-road-night.jpg
siluko-road-night
https://oshiomholefor2012.com/images/stories/oshio-web/works/liberty-avenue-off-ihama.jpg
liberty-avenue-off Ihama rd

More pictures of roads built by Oshiomhole cutting across villages and towns in edo state.

https://oshiomholefor2012.com/images/stories/oshio-web/works/Auchi-Jattu-Afashio-Ikabigbo-Ojio-Road.jpg
Auchi-Jattu-Afashio-Ikabigbo Ojio-Road
https://oshiomholefor2012.com/images/stories/oshio-web/works/Dualized-Auchi-Township-road.jpg
Dualized-Auchi-Township road
https://oshiomholefor2012.com/images/stories/oshio-web/works/Ekperi-Anegbette-road-Etsako-CEntral-LGA.jpg
Ekperi-Anegbette-road
https://oshiomholefor2012.com/images/stories/oshio-web/works/Evboeghae-Ugo-Urhonigbe-road-Orhionmwon-LGA.jpg
Evboeghae-Ugo-Urhonigbe road
https://oshiomholefor2012.com/images/stories/oshio-web/works/Igarra-Ososo-road-Akoko-Edo-LGA-on-going-construction.jpg
Igarra-Ososo-road
https://oshiomholefor2012.com/images/stories/oshio-web/works/new-constructed-jattu-ayua-road.jpg
-jattu-ayua road
https://oshiomholefor2012.com/images/stories/oshio-web/works/uhen-olumoye%20road%20Ovia%20southwest%20LGA.jpg
Uhen-olumoye road
https://oshiomholefor2012.com/images/stories/oshio-web/works/Igueben-Ewohimi-Ewatto-Ohordua-Emu-Okhuesan-road-Esan-South-East-and-Igbueben-LGA.jpg
Igueben-Ewohimi-Ewatto Ohordua-Emu-Okhuesan-road
https://oshiomholefor2012.com/images/stories/oshio-web/works/Irrua-Usugbenu-Ugbegun-Ujogba-road.jpg
Irrua-Usugbenu-Ugbegun- Ujogba-road.

These pictures were at the beginning of last year and most of these projects have been completed while new ones have started. Some of the town to town roads include:

17. The 57 km Evboeghae- Ugo - Urhonigbe road with bright at Uromehe

18. The 25 km Iguobazua – Uzama – Siluko road

19. The 40 km Igueben – Ewohimi – Ewatto – Ohordua – Okhuesan road with a bridge at Emu

20. The 30 km Ekperi – Anegbette road ( with 2 bridges) which transverses on the most difficult terrains in the country

21. The 12 km Jattu – Afowa – Iyora – Apana road with a bridge at Afowa

22. The 29.7 km long Irrua-Usugbenu – Ugbegun – Ebudin – Ujiogba road

23. The 22.3 km Oja Uneme Osu-Enwan – Igarra raod with a bridge at Ojirami

24. The 22km Sebe – Ogbe – Otuo toad with a bridge at Ihievbe

25. Uhen- Olumoye road which covers 8.35 km

26. The 29 km Ayogwiri – Apana – Imiegba – Imiakebu road with a spur at Igodor to Okpekpe and 2 bridges over Obe River.

27. The 13.7 km 6 Lane Auchi – Jattu – Afashio – Ikabigbo – Ojio road

28. The 9 km Amiendokhian – Ugboha road

29. The 5.6 km Igueben – Udo road

30. The 10 km Ivbioghe – Igiode – Uzanu road

31. The 16 km Ogan – Idunmogun road

Some people have ask what the governor is doing in other areas outside benin. these are some pictures of roads he has contructed between towns and villages.

https://oshiomholefor2012.com/images/stories/oshio-web/works/Ituo-Ihievbe-Ogben-Road.jpg
Ituo-Ihievbe-Ogben-Road

https://oshiomholefor2012.com/images/stories/oshio-web/works/Amendokhian-Ugboha-road.jpg
Amendokhian-Ugboha-road

https://oshiomholefor2012.com/images/stories/oshio-web/works/Ivbiogbe-Igiode-Uzanu-Road-Etsako-East-LGA.jpg
Ivbiogbe-Igiode-Uzanu-Road

https://oshiomholefor2012.com/images/stories/oshio-web/works/Anegbete-road.jpg
/Anegbete-road.

https://oshiomholefor2012.com/images/stories/oshio-web/works/Iyamho-Iyora-road-Etsako-West-LGA.jpg
Iyamho-Iyora-road

https://oshiomholefor2012.com/images/stories/oshio-web/works/Jattu-Ibie-Road-Etsako-West-LGA.jpg
Jattu-Ibie-Road-

https://oshiomholefor2012.com/images/stories/oshio-web/works/Apana-Iyora-Afowa-Jattu-Road-Uzairue-Etsako-West-LGA.jpg
Apana-Iyora-Afowa-Jattu-Road

[img]http://oshiomholefor2012.com/images/stories/oshio-web/works/slider3.jpg
[/img]

This is just sad.

This is quite impressive. lets hope this development will continue.

More on Edo State Roads:

https://oshiomholefor2012.com/images/stories/oshio-web/works/Isua-Uzenema-Ebele-Road-Esan-North-East-LGA.jpg