Flight operations resume in Anambra airport Oct. 21 –Obiano

PAMELA EBOH, Awka and Phil Okose, Onitsha

 

 

The Governor of Anambra State, Willie Obiano has announced Oct 21, 2021 as a date in history for the resumption of flight operations at Anambra State international Cargo And Passenger Airport located at Umueri.

 

He said that that while the date has been fixed, that the state government is still waiting for final approval by the ageis expected to resume Flight Operations on October 21, 2021, subject to the final approval by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies, NCCA.

 

The Governor made the statement while fielding questions from journalists shortly after an inspection tour of some projects executed by his government.

 

He described the airport runway as the  longest in Africa, with the best fire fighting equipment and tallest control tower in Nigeria.

 

According to him, the airport was completed in 15 months, saying that if the regulating authority approved the request, the project inauguration will not exceed October.

 

Obiano also said that the International Conference Center, ICC and Awka township stadium will be completed and may serve as the venue for the swearing-in of his successor come March 17, 2022.

 

He addled, “The projects will put Anambra on the pedestal of economic prosperity.

 

“This administration had spent N90billion on the Airport project within 15 months record time without seeking bailout funds or loans for facilities from any institution.

 

On the forth coming governorship election in the state, the governor stressed that the former Governor of the Central Bank, Prof Chukwuma Soludo remained the best candidate among those contesting to succeed him.

 

He reasoned that if it were in a civilized nation, nobody would to challenge him in any elective position given his intimidating pedigree.

 

Obiano called on the electorate to critically consider the track records of the candidates contesting the gubernatorial poll, insisting that the candidate of the All-Progressives Grand Alliance, (APGA) possessed the needed qualifications, skill and experience more than others to continue the ongoing infrastructural revolution in the state.

 

While listing the International Airport, International Conference Center and Anambra Stadium Complex Awka as some of his signature projects, the governor called on the people to vote wisely for more democratic dividends.

 

In another development, No fewer than 100 lock-up Shops were reportedly submerged by Flood at Ogbaru Main Market, near Onitsha, Anambra State, in the Wee hours of last weekend following heavy Down Pour.

 

The affected traders in the Market attributed the Flood Menace to the Blocking of the Drainage system by the Ndubuisi Ochiogu- led Caretaker committee for the Construction of a Plaza.

 

Lamenting the Gross damages done to Wires especially to those at Provisions and Wine Sections, The Spokesman of the concerned traders, a former Vice Chairman of the Market, Chief Chinedu Ejezie, said that, over 100 Shops were submerged by the Flood which destroyed goods worth over 100 Million naira.

 

“The former owner of the Premises where the Plaza is currently built, (Kpokobros) and the immediate past executive of the Market led by Chief Victor Nwawuzie, left the drainage system open for flood to flow, but when this new caretaker committee led by Ndubuisi Ochiogu came in, it blocked the drainage system for the Construction of a Plaza and that is the cause of the Flooding of the Market anytime it rains, destroying goods of Traders”.

 

“This is what happens where the Leadership is not elected but appointed, we urge the State Government to conduct elections in both the Market and others before he leaves the State to have his name written in gold”

 

“Again let compensation be paid to those whose goods were destroyed in the last Saturday flood menace”, he pleaded.

 

Contacted on phone, the caretaker committee Chairman of the Market, Chief Ndubuisi Ochiogu denied the gross destruction by flood.

 

When asked if compensation would be paid to the victims of the flood, he said, “I will not respond to phone calls from one I don’t see physically, you have to come so that I see the Person talking with me in person”.

 

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