Controversy Over Osubi-Warri Airstrip: Five Prominent Delta State Politicians Blamed (See Details)

The National Coordinator of the Niger Delta Peace Coalition (NDPC), Zik Gbemre, has taken a swipe at the former Governors of Delta State, Chief James Ibori, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, and Minister of State, Festus Keyamo, Deputy Senate President, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege and Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Sheriff Oborevwori, over the reported controversy surrounding the state of Osubi-Warri Airstrip.

BIGPENNGR.COM reports that the Federal Government recently approved the takeover of Osubi airport over alleged debt and mismanagement by its operators

The development stemmed from the face-off between aviation service providers and management of Osubi Airport, in Warri, Delta State.

Osubi Airport operators have been in a running battle with aviation service providers since the second quarter of 2019 over maintenance and remittances as spelt out in the concession agreement of the airstrip.

According to report, the facility has been a subject of controversy since it changed hands from the original owner, Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), to Shoreline in partnership with the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) in 2015.

Apparently unable to get the private operator to comply with the provisions of the service providers, some parastatals had written to the government to revoke the contract of Shoreline.

The government, in a letter to all the aviation parastatals, terminated the contract of Shoreline Oil Services Limited, the operator of the airport, with immediate effect, citing incompetence.

Federal Government, through the presiding Federal Ministry of Aviation Safety and Technical Policy Department, in a letter dated, February 7, 2020, and signed by its Director Captain T. Alkali, directed the Director-General of Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and the Director-General Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NIMET), to carry out the termination of Shoreline’s contract seamlessly.

ALSO READ: Exclusive: How Delta Govt ‘Wasted’ N11bn On Osubi Airport

Parts of the letter read as follows; “I am directed to refer to the above subject and convey Mr. President’s approval of the termination of the appointment of Shoreline Oil Services Limited, as interim operator of the Osubi Airstrip as well as the engagement of the Honourable Minister of Aviation by NNPC to put in place a mechanism to ensure operation of the airstrip pending the appointment of a competent operator.

“Consequently, you are directed to take the necessary action by ensuring seamless operations at the airstrip with immediate effect,” the letter said.

SPDC opened the facility in 1999, to enhance offshore operations. With the dip in oil exploration over a period, the airstrip was sold to Shoreline and NNPC in 2015.

Meanwhile, Gbemre, in a statement made available to BIGPEN, said that any controversy surrounding the concession of the airport and its deplorable state should be blamed on five prominent politicians in the state who hold sway at the helm of affairs but could not savage the situation.

Specifically, he said; “Without mincing words, let it be categorically noted here that the Five Delta State politicians, whom I, and everyone will hold responsible for the non-functioning of the Osubi-Warri Airstrip, which is simply due to it not being upgraded to a standard Airport, are former Governors Chief James Ibori, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, and Minister of State, Festus Keyamo, Deputy Senate President – Senator Ovie Omo-Agege and Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Sheriff Oborevwori”.

He said that it was shameful that the Airport that have been rated as one of the best in the country and in West Africa, is being abandoned to rot away when the caliber of politicians who can influence things are from the state.

“With such significant politicians of Delta State, is it not SHAMEFUL that the all-important Osubi-Warri Airstrip has remained under-utilized for years, and currently nonfunctional? Is it not SHAMEFUL that these Five Delta State politicians drive all the way to Benin or Asaba just to board a flight to Lagos, Abuja and Kano, and whenever they are returning to Delta State from Abuja and Lagos State, they have to board flights again from there to Benin or Asaba?

He lamented that Ibori and Uduaghan had opportunities to upgrade the Airstrip but were unable to do so and make it a standard functional Airport as expected.

According to the activist, Festus Keyamo (SAN), a native of Uvwie Local Government Area who has been in the President Muhammadu Buhari-led APC administration, recently held a South-South stakeholders meeting in Port-Harcourt, where he assured that the upgrade of Osubi-Warri Airstrip will start and becomes functional within few weeks but up till now, nothing has been done in that regard in fulfilling this promise”.

“As for Sheriff Oborevwori, who is now the Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, and from Osubi town where the said Osubi-Warri Airstrip is located. But he has turned a blind eye on the deplorable state of the said Airstrip in his hometown. Then as for Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, ‘nothing spoilt’, as far as the Asaba Airport is functional. Forgetting that the bulk of the wealth of Delta State is gotten from the Delta South and Delta Central of the State where the said Osubi-Warri Airstrip is located.

“On the part of Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, whom we can say is closest to the Presidency by virtue of his position as Deputy Senate President. Yet, he has done nothing about the Osubi-Warri Airstrip/Airport. One begins to wonder what is the essence of having a Delta State son as the number four citizen of Nigeria as the Deputy Senate President, when the issue about the Osubi-Warri Airstrip upgrade has remained unattended to.

“According to Dr. Adogbeji Ideh, who is the first Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) Chairman of Delta State, and the Owner of Delta Clinic, he recently said this about the Osubi-Warri Airstrip, and I quote: “… The Osubi airport/airstrip is the best airport in terms of its runway in all airports in West Africa. Quote me. The German Engineers who were my Patients told me so.”