Ebonyi Govt To Float Airline, as Chuba Okadigbo’s runway to be completed May

Uchenna Okeh, Abakaliki

Ebonyi State government led by governor Francis Nwifuru has vowed to float airline to boost economic development of the state.

The commissioner for Aviation and Transport Technology, Ngozi Obichukwu disclosed this, during the inspection of work done at the Chuba Okadigbo airport runway, at Onueke in Ezza South local government area on Wednesday.

Obichukwu said that the governor, Francis Nwifuru is committed to ensure that the runway rehabilitation which is about 85 percent completion is delivered before August 2024.

She revealed the preparedness of the governor to procure airline as soon the Chuba Okadigbo International airport runway is completed.

The Commissioner, Obichukwu commended the Governor Francis Nwifuru, the immediate past governor, David Umahi, the engineers on site and monitoring heads of department for their cooperation.

She said, “If you do not blow your trumpet, another person will blow it wrongly. We are here as a team to tell you what our dear governor is doing on the runway of the Wilberforce Chuba Okadigbo Airport.

“Many have been asking questions, are we good to go? Are we able to deliver the road by May as we promised. With your eyes and your senses, you people have seen what we have done and the extent we have gone.

“His Excellency, Francis Nwifuru has made a promise and he has kept to the promise. He is so committed that he is not sparing any minute and the people that he engaged, the contractors that won the bid have been up and doing. They work even on Sundays and they have been up to expectations.

“To me , I am very happy. Happy with the IDC, with the engineers on site, happy with all the monitoring HODs and I want to say that I am fulfilled.

“Another thing is that by the grace of God, I said it yesterday when I got a call from the UK that a private jet wants to land here, I told him that they are free to land but we have a little challenge and what was that?. The runway has not been marked. When we mark the runway now, even Boeing 43747 and whatever Boeing can land here and taxi to the terminal way.

“So, we are not afraid and we are happy. I have told you to challenge us. Ebonyi State runway is the best in the country, bearing in mind that before the asphalting, we had a concrete background. We had a very solid concrete lay, courtesy of our former governor , Engineer David Nweze Umahi. He made it solid and the asphalting has added to that and I want to appreciate all the players here, most especially my dear governor, Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru. The kilometre is approximately 3.2.

“Because it is human done, we may not predict much but by estimation and by way of ensuring that what we did is correct, I will say about 50-80 years. This runway will still be what it is.

“Before the asphalting, we have started witnessing the coming in of flights and you know like I have said before, it is both human and cargo airport. We are good to go in terms of exporting our food. Ebonyi State is good with production. We can export our rice, we can export our garri and even our salt. We will package it in a way that is acceptable and package it out.

“We are at the centre of attraction as southeast is concerned. Those of them that are coming from Abia, Enugu, Anambra, Imo even part of Cross River will be landing here. Those of them that are travelling from outside will be landing here. It will not only be a beehive of activities, but an economic hub of the southeast because many people will benefit from here.

“Our light is forever shining. No state can diminish us. You cannot take because one taxi car is on the road, you park your own. Your own may be the best. I want to challenge you between now and August this year, this place will be the best in the southeast.

“We already had an agreement and pact with some airliners. We have already collaborated with them before this facelift. It was because some of them landed and landed in the bush. So, we are already partnering with them. Yes, some of the aircraft skipped off the runway. That is the major reason we started this work. We have spoken to some airliners and they are already partnering with us.

“I want to announce to us that His Excellency our dear governor is making all frantic effort to make sure we have our own airline”, she revealed.