Asaba airport to gulp N27.7 billion

Emmanuel comes out with the contract value of the Asaba International Airport.

Faced with growing criticism and possible financial crimes charges, the Delta State Governor, Emmanuel Uduaghan, has announced the “actual” contract value of the Asaba International Airport.

He said the airport will cost N27.7 billion.

The governor made the announcement on Thursday in Asaba at a press conference saying the amount included cost of demolishing the hills at the Airport site.

Various figures, ranging between N17 billion and N40 billion have been quoted by critics of the government as the cost of the airport.

The governor had been petitioned over the contract sum; and perhaps hoping to keep the Economic and Financial Crimes commission at bay, he came up with his explanations.

He said two more contractors were engaged to assist in bringing down the hills insisting there was no new contract award.

“I want to tell you that the contract value of the airport is 27.7 billion naira,” he said. “There is no new contract cost for demolishing the hills of the Airport site. What we did was to invite two other contractors to join the main contractor to demolish the hills. The cost was all included in the contract cost of N27.7 billion.”