By Jonathan Ugbal
Mark Essien, the chief executive officer of online hotels booking firm, Hotels.ng has sparked a row on Twitter over his call for the sale of the Margaret Ekpo International Airport in Calabar, the Cross River State capital.
Essien in a tweet thread argued that since the airport was in the center of the town, it can be converted into real estate while the state uses the Uyo airport.
“In my opinion, Calabar airport should be sold and converted into premium real estate (it is in Center of town), and the money used to build a bridge linking Uyo airport to Calabar direct. This way, Uyo airport becomes bigger – more flights. Int’l could start coming there,” Essien tweeted.
In my opinion, Calabar airport should be sold and converted into premium real estate (it is in Center of town), and the money used to build a bridge linking Uyo airport to Calabar direct. This way, Uyo airport becomes bigger – more flights. Int'l could start coming there.
— Mark Essien (@markessien) July 28, 2018
Every state does not need to have an airport. We need bigger, regional airports that link a lot of population areas together, and not tiny airports with one flight per day. Easier to maintain, and more profitable to run the airport.
— Mark Essien (@markessien) July 28, 2018
The airport can be called Akwa-Cross airport to reflect that it serves two states. Revenue can be shared.
— Mark Essien (@markessien) July 28, 2018
He suggested the construction of a new road linking Calabar and the airport which will take 30 minutes maximum.
46km using a roundabout road. 25km if a direct road is built pic.twitter.com/1K9V2dDEh5
— Mark Essien (@markessien) July 29, 2018
Uyo airport to Calabar would be a 30 minutes journey if a bridge linked them. Also, a direct Uyo to Calabar route would increase commerce and make both Calabar and Uyo richer.
— Mark Essien (@markessien) July 28, 2018
As someone who flies for business, it is very annoying when there is no 7am flight. A busier airport will have 7am flight and 6pm return.
— Mark Essien (@markessien) July 29, 2018
Essien who was accused of suggesting such because he hails from Akwa Ibom, maintained that both states can share revenue as it was not profitable to have both airports in operation.
His position was greeted with mixed responses with one user, Thankgod Ukachukwu, whose profile said is the founder of Topaz ICT solutions limited, giving his reasons why it wasn’t a viable idea.
“The issue we have with intellectuals is that they make sweeping generalisations and believe they’re expert in every area. Attached is the distance from Calabar to Uyo. Someone flies to any of the airports and spends another 1 hour plus getting into either towns. Ludicrous!” Thankgod tweeted.
He argued that with the federal system practiced in Nigeria, both states can’t share revenue and maintained that both airports will become more viable in time even as he wondered why an investor has to spend a long time from the airport to his destination.
So an investor flying to Calabar will land in Uyo and start another journey to Calabar cos you feel the airport should be scrapped. As if these states have solved all their infrastructural problems and this road is the important dev they need. Both airports are necessary.
— ThankGod Ukachukwu (@tksilicon) July 29, 2018
Rent a private jet.
Those airports will become more busy relative to the development of the urban areas they are situated in. I can imagine an investor asking, “any airport in Uyo”, “any airport in Calabar” and with elated heart, you respond “YES”!
— ThankGod Ukachukwu (@tksilicon) July 29, 2018
Most of you don’t even understand that Nigeria is a federal system and states don’t share revenue. You think Uyo or Calabar will share revenue generated from their airport with each other? What he is suggesting is the same issue with have with Lagos ports.
— ThankGod Ukachukwu (@tksilicon) July 30, 2018
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