Jubilation, As Enugu Airport Records First Int’l Flight
• S’East Govs Laud Jonathan, Urge Action On 2nd Niger Bridge
• Okorocha Shuns Event
THE thunderous jubilation and praises from the enthusiastic crowd that gathered Saturday was enough to herald the commencement of international commercial flights at the remodeled Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu.
Indeed, the sea of human heads that defied security arrangements, as they surged forward to witness the landing of the first Ethiopian aircraft at the airport, signified the end of many years of waiting and unfulfilled promises, by successive governments, of an international airport for the south east geo political zone.
And to underscore the importance of an international airport to the South East Zone, all their political leaders, business and captains of industry came out in their numbers to witness the historic ceremony and landing of the international flight.
Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim, led other government appointees from the zone, including Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala (Finance Minister), Prof Chinedu Nebo (Power), Chukwuemeka Wogu (Labour and Productivity), and Stella Oduah (Aviation).
Governors Sullivan Chime (Enugu), Theodore Orji (Abia), Martin Elechi (Ebonyi) and Peter Obi (Anambra), were also there.
Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, however, shunned the event and neither sent a representative. Reason (s) for his absence also remained uncertain as at the time of going to press, even though the National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Victor Umeh, was present.
The Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, led the crème of the National Assembly members to the venue.
Also available were traditional, religious leaders and private sector operators, including the billionaire businessman, Chief Arthur Eze, whose private jet flew directly from Senegal into the Enugu International Airport.
The white colour Boeing 737 -800 Ethiopian aircraft, with registration number ET-APL had landed at the airport at exactly 12.14 pm with 15 passengers onboard to the waiting hands of officials of government.
But there was panic among the spectators when two fire-fighting trucks that were positioned few metres away started releasing water from opposite directions around the taxi-way as some people thought that the unexpected was about to happen.
It took an explanation of the officials of the Nigerian Airspace Agency that it was normal during international landing for calm to be restored among the agitating crowd.
Driven by 39-year old Ethiopian Captain, Berhanu Gobere Zena, the 158-passenger-capacity aircraft took off again at exactly 2.30 pm, after spending about two hours and 16 minutes for the ceremonies.
Zena told The Guardian that he had been flying in the last 13 years and had flown the Boeing 737-800 for two and half years, adding that the airline would operate four flights per week on Enugu route, including Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. He described Enugu runway as “very new”, adding that he had four cabinet members on board.
On board the aircraft were Ekweremadu, Chime, Elechi and their aides as well as other passengers travelling to various countries of the world. Obi who though confirmed that he bought ticket to travel with the flight, said he decided to stay back following the congress of the primaries of parties being held in Anambra state.
Secretary to Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim, while extolling President Jonathan on the airport, said that many promises had been made in the past, saying it was a great life accomplishment for the people of the Southeast.
Minister Odua expressed happiness over the realization of the airport, saying that it would impart positively on the development of the southeast.
“This is a confirmation that what president Goodluck Jonathan says he does, he told the southeasterners that they would get this after all these years, he has done it for them. All thanks to him.”
She said that there are about seven airlines already indicating interest to fly the Enugu route, adding that the area is a viable one that would continue to live in the minds of Ndigbo.
She said effort was being made to complete other facilities at the airport.
For Governor Peter Obi, “everybody from the southeast will say today (yesterday) that this is our greatest moment”, adding that the airport was viable as the aircraft had been fully booked for two weeks and congratulated the president for delivering to his promise.
“We saw today various passengers from Rome, from London, from Dubai and they landed here safely. We have here several passengers travelling with this aircraft outside the country and you can imagine it”, he said.
Meanwhile, Southeast Governors, yesterday, thanked the Federal Government “for the equity in ensuring that the region like other zones also has an international airport.”
They also called for the urgent execution and flag-off of the second Niger Bridge, which according to them remains pivotal to the socio-economic development of the region.
A statement that was earlier issued by the Anambra State Governor, who is the Chairman of the Southeast Governors Forum, had congratulated President Jonathan for actualising his promise on the airport project.
The new status of the airport comes on the heels of sustained representations made by Southeast leaders for its elevation to an international cadre.
The Anambra helmsman observed that Jonathan has continued to demonstrate fairness to all sections of the country.
According to Obi, the President’s commitment to the welfare of the zone made the airport project a reality.
Obi noted, with satisfaction, that President Jonathan’s intervention brought to an end the official vacillation on the matter.
He stated that the international operation of the Enugu airport was a historic development in the zone’s quest for economic integration, adding that it was not accidental that a President delivering on the transformation agenda would be the one championing this facility.
Governor Obi lauded the Aviation Minister for her role in facilitating the project as well as for the general upgrade of airports across the country.
The Governor also praised the Federal Government for assistance in tackling erosion menace in the zone. He said the Jonathan administration had significantly funded erosion control measures in the Southeast for
Chief Victor Umeh, who was apparently elated, said: “You can now see that everything has changed, nobody will blame us tomorrow if we say that the president has remembered the people of the southeast and we are here to be part of the ceremony and we thank God for that. We also thank the president for being sincere and committed to this project which has now been delivered”.
According to Umeh, the relief from international flights operating from Enugu cannot be quantified, adding that from the homes of the people, they can now fly out of Nigeria and return the same day without having to go to Port Harcourt, Kano and Calabar.
“Apart from the flights operating from here, it has also restored our fate in the Nigerian project, that the Igbos are part of Nigeria. This is one of the steps the president has taken to ensure that the Igbos are integrated into the Nigerian nation. I want to call on our people to show gratitude to the President; but we expect him to do more and site federal industries; our roads are being reconstructed and the second Niger Bridge is taking off since and so in the next two years, this zone will not be the same again”, he said.
Chairman of Igboeze North Local Government, Chief Bonaventure Onu, called on the Southeast, especially the people of Enugu State, to protect the facilities at the airport, stressing that it was the only way that it can achieve the desired objective.
Onu also praised the president for actualising the dream, stressing that he has written his name in gold in the minds of Ndigbo.
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