Umahi jokes private jet landing on Delta road, demands 'landing fee' from Aviation Ministry

A private jet mistook a newly built concrete road for a runway in Delta State. The Minister of Works, David Umahi, isn't happy about it — or so he joked.

Umahi, speaking Wednesday during an inspection tour of the Abakaliki–Afikpo–Ndibe Beach Trans-Saharan Highway in Ebonyi State, said the Aviation Ministry should pay "landing, parking and takeoff costs" for the unintended use of the road.

The incident happened at Ogwashi-Ukwu in Delta State. A section of concrete pavement being handled by the Federal Ministry of Works was mistaken for an airstrip by an unnamed private aircraft.

"I was watching Arise TV this morning and saw where they were talking about the plane that landed on the road we are constructing at Ogwashi-Ukwu in Delta State. I don't blame the pilot for mistaking our concrete roads for runways," Umahi said.

He added, with a straight face: "I want to tell my brother, the Honourable Minister of Aviation, to pay us landing, parking and takeoff costs for using our road as runway."

Umahi stressed that while the incident wasn't intentional, it showed the quality of road infrastructure under President Bola Tinubu's administration. But he also urged caution to prevent a repeat.

"They shouldn't land on our roads again because if they do, they will pay landing and takeoff costs," he said.

The minister was in Ebonyi State with a delegation from the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID) to inspect the Abakaliki–Afikpo–Ndibe Beach Trans-Saharan Highway. He described it as a legacy project designed to boost transportation, trade, and regional connectivity.

According to Umahi, the highway will link Ebonyi and Cross River States through Ndibe Beach in Afikpo. It will also extend economic benefits to Benue and Kogi States and strengthen cross-border trade with neighbouring Cameroon.

The leader of the EBID delegation, Mainouna Sidibe, expressed satisfaction with Nigeria's infrastructure development under the Renewed Hope Agenda and pledged continued support for projects that drive regional economic growth.