Ibom air: Great Investment for Akwa Ibom (Opinion)

By Cyril Hart

I thought they say government does not have business doing business. That government is to create the enabling environment while the private sector do the needful.

In this case, I would think that enabling environment should mean, government building the airport alone, while the private sector sets up airline and begin operations at the airport.

While that sounds logical, and I’m in agreement with it. I have always asked the question: What should government do if after creating the “enabling environment” and the private sector/investor fails to come ? And my view is that government should lead the way by creating an investment model of what it wants the investor to do.

And I will continue to make the point that government has business doing business, but does not have business managing business.

Government should build and sell, or build and transfer ownership/management.

The Indorama/ Eleme Petrochemical is classical model. The NLNG has 49 % FG, but not managed by the government and it’s a success story.

Congratulations and thank you Gov. Udom for leading the way. You have answered the question of what government should do when the investor is not coming.