Date Published: 01/06/09

Dear Editor,

What between Akwa Ibom and Arik Air?

When I read a front page story on Saturday Independent edition of2 nd January, 2010, I was shocked to learn that Governor Akpabio’s government was paying State’s money (as inducement) to Arik Airline management for it (Arik) to continue using the newly inaugurated Ibom Airport.

According to the Independent newspaper report “As a form of encouragement to fly into the new airport, the state government had promised that it would offset the difference each time any of its (Arik Air) flights into the airport cannot achieve 50 percent passenger level. The government also agreed to pay some sundry monies to the airline for accepting to risk its craft on the inaugural flight of September 23, 2009 among other subsidiary subheads”. To many; this sounds very ridiculous and should remain condemned.

Independent newspaper investigation further revealed that what led to the suspension of flight was when one of the top management of the airline staff approached the State Treasury with invoices requesting that some money be paid to him directly instead of to the airline’s account, but met a brick-wall.

In all, I think it is fraudulent and could be a conduit pipe for Akwa Ibom government officials to have entered into such an agreement. It is an irony that instead of the airline paying something to the government, the reverse is now the case. Go to (my) Gombe State and ask our government how much Gombe airport has garnered from commercial flight operators and you would be surprised. Furthermore I read the Arik’s Director, Aniete Okon, say during the inaugural flight at Ibom Airport that Arik plans investing N30billion in the Airport, and also read questions asked as to what area this amount would be invested in, knowing that the State government had claimed to have spent N45billion. It seems (now) that instead, it is Akwa Ibom government that is investing in Arik. If I were an indigene of Akwa Ibom State I would insist to know how much of such money has been taken by Arik from the State Treasury.

Daily Independent in its edition of January 1, 2010 announced Governor Akpabio as joint-winner with Mike Adenuga the newspaper’s Man of the Year (2009) award.