In December 2024, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) informed the Ebonyi State Government that the Wilberforce Chuba Okadigbo Airport in Onueke had been certified to handle only chartered flights and private jets. Following this certification, the state government used the airport to airlift 206 scholarship beneficiaries to the United Kingdom via Air Peace.
Earlier in the year, the state Commissioner for Aviation Technology, Mrs. Ngozi Obichukwu, revealed that the airport had welcomed over 20 aircraft during the festive season. However, public criticism persists regarding the airport’s necessity, considering Ebonyi’s high poverty rate and significant debt profile. Critics argue that the airport, located just an hour’s drive from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Enugu, is a misallocation of resources.
A Costly Investment
The Wilberforce Chuba Okadigbo Airport was initiated by former Governor David Umahi, who claimed it cost ₦36 billion. His successor, Governor Francis Nwifuru, later revealed the project’s total cost had risen to ₦42 billion. Due to a defective concrete runway that hindered aircraft landings, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority initially shut down the airport, prompting Nwifuru to spend an additional ₦20 billion on its rehabilitation.
Public Backlash
Social media was abuzz with rumors of the airport being converted into a church after a video showed religious activities in its departure lounge. However, Commissioner Obichukwu clarified that the gathering was a monthly prayer meeting by aviation staff, aimed at ensuring safe flight operations.
The airport’s upgraded runway was recently inaugurated by Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, who commended the rehabilitation effort. Despite this, critics, including Nwifuru’s main political opponent, Chief Ifeanyi Odii, lambasted the administration for repeated spending on the project and questioned its economic viability.
Odii highlighted the state’s financial challenges, noting that Ebonyi had the highest poverty rate in Southern Nigeria, with 80% of its population living in poverty, alongside external debts of over $92 million and internal debts exceeding ₦70 billion. He accused the government of wastefulness and failing to prioritize pressing developmental needs.
Government’s Defense
Responding to the criticisms, the state government maintained that the debts were inherited and that the Nwifuru administration had not taken new loans. Commissioner for Information, Jude Okpor, argued that revamping the airport was a strategic move to attract business and investment to the state. He dismissed claims of fiscal mismanagement as unverifiable and attributed them to political antagonism.
While the controversies rage on, the state government remains optimistic that the airport will boost Ebonyi’s economy and position it as a regional hub for aviation and commerce.
