Senate President Godswill Akpabio has sharply challenged the Ebonyi State Senator Peter Nwebonyi after the latter suggested removing residential settlements near Abuja’s international airport, describing them as detrimental to Nigeria’s image.
During a Senate session covered by NASSTV from 30:22, Senator Nwebonyi had urged action on what he termed unsightly dwellings visible to arriving air travelers. “Mr. President, seeing the budgetary provision, we can see that much provision is made for the infrastructural development of the capital city, which is the citadel of power for the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” Nwebonyi stated.
He specifically called on the FCT Minister to address the airport surroundings: “I want the FCT Minister to extend his infrastructural development of the city to the surroundings of the Abuja airport.”
The Ebonyi senator claimed the area created a poor first impression. “If you are descending into Abuja airport, the habitats, the type of infrastructure within the environment, Your Excellency, it does not represent the good image of this country,” he argued.
Nwebonyi proposed either relocating residents or upgrading the area. “The FCT Minister should capture that in their next budget, to either relocate the habitants of the people within the airport or renew the area, at least, because that is the mirror of the country as you are descending into Abuja airport. Some of us, if you take into account to view the environs of the airport while descending into Abuja, you will agree with me, Excellency, that it is an eyesore. It doesn’t give a good image of the nation, and I think something has to be done about it.”
When Akpabio asked which specific aspect bothered him, Nwebonyi identified the shanties.
The Senate President delivered a forceful rebuke, defending the communities in question. “That is somebody’s village, and that is what they can afford,” Akpabio responded. “So, are you saying that we should go to those villages and evacuate them so that when your plane is coming down, you will see high-rises? You want to see beautiful Chinese infrastructure, but that is what belongs to people.”
Akpabio further challenged Nwebonyi’s premise about national image. “Does the image of the nation start with when your plane is descending? In a place like Akwa Ibom, when you descend, you see water and you see creeks. So, should we eliminate the creeks and close the creeks so that it will not affect the image of the nation?”
When put to a voice vote, the Senate overwhelmingly rejected Sen. Nwebonyi’s proposal.
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