By Emmanuel Acha
Enugu – The first commercial flight, ‘Air Peace No. 5N-BUV’, on Sunday landed at the rehabilitated Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu ahead of its official opening later in the day.
The flight which brought government officials and some members of the National Assembly for the inauguration of the complex touched down the runway at 1:41 p.m.
Some of the passengers include Minister of Labour and Productivity, Sen. Chris Ngige, Former deputy president of the Senate, Chief Ike Ekweremadu, Director General, Voice of Nigeria, Chief Osita Okechukwu.
In the flight was also the member representing Enugu East/Isiuzo Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Mr Cornelius Nnaji and others.
Addressing newsmen, Okechukwu commended the Federal Government for making good its promise of rehabilitating the airport.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain described the gesture as part of commitments to ensure that the Southeast was not left out in infrastructural revolution of the Government.
He said that efforts needed to be made to expand and increase the Runways in the airport.
He also called for the licensing of more international airlines to use the airport, adding that it was not right that Ethiopian Airline was the only international airline allowed to use the facility at the moment.
Okechukwu called on those whose property encroached on or hindered further development of the complex to cooperate with the government in the collective interest of all.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the airport was shut down in August 2019 following safety concerns by the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).
(NAN)
