The Customs Area Comptroller, Enugu, Anambra, and Ebonyi States, Mr. Suleiman Mohammed has attributed the poor revenue generation of the agency within the command this year to the poor facilities at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport.
He who revealed that Air France, Emirates Airline and KLM Airline had wanted to commence flights to Enugu but could not because of lack of adequate water supply at the airport decried the poor state of the airport Tarmac, and the State of the runway as major problems requiring urgent attention at the airport.
The Controller who made the statistics known to newsmen on Monday during a stakeholders meeting organised by the command to arrest the situation, pointed out that the poor state of facilities at the airport has hampered business activities resulting in low revenue for the agency.
According to data released by the comptroller, "the 2017 revenue target of customs in the three states is Ten Billion, Eight Hundred and Forty One Million, Fourteen thousand, Three Hundred and Eighty Three Naira (10,841,014,383,56)."
However, the total amount realised as at August stood at "Four Billion, Eight Hundred and Ninety Five Million, Three Hundred and Eleven Thousand, Eight Hundred and Five Naira, Seventy Seven Kobo (N4, 895,311,805.77) representing 45.3% of the target for the year".
He also stated that " the three states covered by the Command have no land borders and as such no frontier stations, rather it's am excise oriented area with at least twenty Excise Factories under it's control."
"Besides, only fourteen Excise Factories are functional presently whole six are temporarily closed down," he said.
In an interview, the Chairman, National Association of Government Approved Fright Forwarders, NAGAFF, Enugu State Branch, Chief Raymond Okonkwo, stated that it was needful for stakeholders to meet to deliberate on how best to tackle the problem of lack of adequate facilities at the airport.
"We saw the need for stakeholders who have interest in the development of the structure to come together to ensure that things are the way they should."
"the rules way at the Akanu Ibiam airport is not of the standard to attract international flights. When facilities at any airport runs short of international regulations, you know that their is a problem as no airline will put his aircraft at risk", he said.
He also attributed the low patronage of the airport by travellers to the high cost of tickets compared to what is obtainable in Lagos.
"A situation where you have a difference of over 200,000 from booking in Lagos makes it impossible for people to patronise the Enugu airport," he said.
Also speaking, the representative of Triax group of companies, Chief Emeka Okeke called on other south east governors to join hands with the Enugu State governor see that the airport becomes truly international in its operation.
"We should not leave this thing for one person alone. This about the Igbo race. I don't know why the governments of the south eastern states should not come to support this project."
"Let us start with one airport before talking of cargo and the rest. Enugu is the main eastern base and this problem should be addressed", he said.
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