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Abia State The Governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu has stated that the state under his administration would prefer to build a dry port instead of an airport.
Governor Ikpeazu, who stated this in Aba, the commercial nerve centre of the state said a dry port would serve the greater economic interest of the Abia populace than an airport which he said would serve less than 10 per cent business interest of the state.
‘As governor of this state, I am thinking of a dry port. I have heard people ask why not an airport and I want to seize this opportunity to officially respond to the issue of an airport. For me, the need for a dry port will serve the economic interest of my people better than the need for an airport.
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‘I am happy to acknowledge the fact that neighbouring states to Abia have airports. What that means is that within 100 kilometres radius, Abia will have access to the airport, but what you cannot find within a hundred kilometres radius is a dry port,’ he said.
The Governor said an airport in Abia would likely serve less than 10 per cent of the Abia populace and business interest, considering that such airport would not have an operational international cargo status.
‘So, I think the way to go is to look at what will serve my people, about 95 per cent of goods you find at the seaport in Apapa and Onne ports including those that are delayed for three months belong to my people here in Abia.
‘As the governor, the question I ask myself is, can I in any way lift this burden when I bring them to a point of importing or exporting goods to or from Abia? That is why I think that a dry port will serve the business interest of my people than an airport,’ he said.
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