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Uzodimma assures FAAN of support on Owerri Airport

Clement Daniel
Clement Daniel

Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodimma, has promised to assist the leadership of the Federal Aviation Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, on the standardisation of the Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport, Owerri, to enhance economic activity.

Governor Uzodimma gave the assurance on Saturday when he received in audience the Chief Executive Officer (CEO)/Managing Director of FAAN and his team who were at the Governor’s Office on official duty.

The Governor told the FAAN-led CEO/MD, Captain Rabiu Yadudu, that he had always believed that the Aviation Sector must be encouraged to be run professionally, noting that as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Aviation, he was key to the development of a roadmap on the reform of the aviation industry.

“I have always believed that FAAN must be encouraged to run the sector professionally. The industry is not what people think in terms of funding, the reason for government intervention.”

Governor Uzodimma said many people thought that a good airport was having good terminal building, stressing that the issue of runway, perimeter fencing, aircraft parking lot, taxing way, security and insurance were indices that those who frequently flew took into consideration before buying ticket.

The governor said the Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport Owerri was commercially viable and attracted traffic and had the potentials of doing better if more attention was paid in standardising the existing infrastructure, including the insurance policy around the airport.

He said since FAAN subscribed to membership of all world bodies and was committed to submitting to the ethics of the industry in line with global practices, the leadership should also hope to reap the benefit.

Uzodimma told his visitors that they both “have a job to do” and urged Capt. Yadudu to oblige him with the Status Report on the Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport that ought to define where the place was in terms of what had been done so that he could be properly guided.

“You have a willing partner. We have to just succeed,” the governor noted, adding that visible and invisible partnership with government was key to survival of airports.

Earlier, Capt Yadudu informed Uzodimma that the Owerri airport had been maintaining a lead market and traffic for five years in Nigeria and that the airport could move to the first or second position in the country if the necessary infrastructure were put in place to make the airport more competitive.

He regretted that it had become very difficult for the aviation sector to survive today, noting that post COVID-19 flying required strategic thinking and that all hands must be on deck to pull out of the woods.

The FAAN boss appealed to the governor to help facilitate the completion of the Cargo Operations Terminal by ensuring that the Runway whose length was 2,700metres and width 45 metres, were increased to 3000 metres of length and 60 metres of width respectively.

Yadudu also told Uzodimma that by assisting FAAN bring the Runway, Taxing Way, Parking Bay, and other challenges like security at the Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport to standard, chances were the airport would become No 1 or No 2 in Nigeria, and the implication would be increased revenue, more employment opportunities for the people, more economic activities and better national and international recognition for the airport and the host state.

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