The immediate past Commissioner for works and infrastructure, Mr. Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo who is the standard flag bearer of the People Democratic Party (PDP) in the forthcoming election, Bayelsa West senatorial district has applauded the Governor of Bayelsa State, Hon. Henry Seriake Dickson for constructing the Bayelsa State International Airport.
Lawrence said it takes only those with “spirit heart” to initiate a project of that standard.
Today Thurday 14th February, 2019, Governor Henry Seriake Dickson and his entourage boarded a maiden flight into the airport.
Speaking at the event, Mr. Lawrence said the governor has made history, by giving Bayelsans a world class airport facility.
Describing the facility as the best of its kind in Nigeria, Lawrence said, the airport 3.5KM runway is the longest in the country. The terminal building and the firetruck are adjudged as the best by all aviation experts that have visited the airport.
“About October 2012 the idea of the building this airport was conceived. When this idea came, Gov. Dickson assembled the best of Bayelsans in the aviation sector. They visited several sites, such as the abandoned Umaru Musa Yaradua Airport along the Zarama Axis, they visited site at Igbogene and Agbora and then they visited this site which Alamieyeseigha initiated when he was Governor. And several studies showed that the site is most suitable.” Lawrence said.
The immediate past commissioner while lambasting the Federal Government for failing in its duty of taking responsibility of constructing the terminal building and sandfiling the site, said All Progressive Congress (APC) leaders in Bayelsa State have no moral right to criticize the Dickson led government over the construction of the airport. According to him, Federal Government through the NDDC was only “urinating sand” instead of sand filling the site.
Rather wasting their time in peddling falsehood about the cost of the airport which reasonable people know can never remain the same given the increase in exchange rate over time, Lawrence challenge Mr. Heineken Lokpobiri and the former Governor, Timipre Sylva to show Bayelsans the location of the Yaradua Airport they deceived Bayelsans that they were constructing for which billions of naira were wasted at the time Sylva was the Governor.
“Some people are behaving in austringe. Instead of them to commend and eulogise the governor for doing what they could not do, they are busy telling falsehood. Where is the Yaradua Airport they claimed to have commenced in their time.” Lawrence questioned.
Lawrence while acknowledging that the cost of the project was review upward, said one major challenge the government faced was the increase exchange rate. He said, as at the time the project was executed the exchange rate was about 95 dollar but as at today the exchange rate is about 365 dollar. So common sense should have tell APC leaders in Bayelsa State that the project cost can not remain the same.
“It’s bad politics and inability to accept failure for All Progressive Congress Leaders in Bayelsa State to say the Governor is spending above the project cost.” Lawrence said.
