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From Isaac Job, Uyo
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr Festus Keyamo, has commended Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, for upgrading facilities at the Ibom Airport ahead of the commencement of international flight operations at Victor Attah International Airport, scheduled for next year.
Mr Keyamo announced the new international status for Victor Attah International Airport, Uyo, shortly after a three-hour inspection of the international wing of the airport and a meeting with members of the international airport ecosystem at the airport yesterday.
The Federal Government Technical Committee for the inspection included officials from the Nigerian Customs Service, Immigration, NDLEA, Quarantine, Police, DSS, the Federal Ministry of Aviation, and all its relevant agencies, such as NCAA, NAMA, NIMET, and FAAN, respectively.
The committee, while assessing facilities accompanied by the state governor, Pastor Umo Eno, heard Mr Keyamo express satisfaction with the standard of facilities as well as the level of preparedness and conclude that Akwa Ibom State was already ahead of the planned take-off of international flights scheduled for April 2026.
“Having heard from all the agencies involved in an international airport ecosystem, who are all here with me and having held a closed-door meeting together… Akwa Ibom State is already ahead of the planned schedule to operate an international airport and flights from Uyo.
“We thought the gaps to be closed would be much, but they are virtually little or no gaps. Akwa Ibom State has gone ahead of schedule to a full blown international airport.”
Facilities inspected included the brand new and well-equipped international terminal and the Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) facility, which the minister described as one of the standard requirements for an international airport.
He said that the state is ready to render its aviation services to the world and make Akwa Ibom and Nigeria proud.
“This facility we are seeing here is the MRO. That means that all international airlines coming here have a facility where they can conduct routine checks before they fly out again.
” It is one of the standard requirements of any international airport.”
Mr Keyamo described Akwa Ibom as a home of great people, blessed with good, successive, and visionary leaders who build on the quality foundation laid by the founding fathers, a gesture that has encouraged growth and facilitated rapid development in the state.
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He thanked Governor Umo Eno for building on the existing foundation of his predecessors, a choice that has raised the state to an enviable height.
“We can only thank the visionaries of Akwa Ibom State. We also thank God for Pastor Umo Eno, who has actually consummated every plan of his predecessors. He has not abandoned the state’s master plan.
“Akwa Ibom State has been blessed with a succession of visionary leaders, and every one of them has been God sent to this place, and this is just one of the lines of succession we have here.
“We are happy that Pastor Umo Eno took it from where he met it, and by God’s grace, it is during his time that every foundation and seed that has been laid 25 years ago has come to fruition.”
Responding, Governor Eno commended past leaders of the state for laying the solid foundation that has enhanced growth and development.
“It is humbling, I must tell you, and like the Honourable Minister has said, I have always said that Akwa Ibom is blessed with good leaders. So we should stop castigating them, we should stop insulting them, they have laid a good foundation, and each administration has built on it.
“But for me, it is the grace of God. God used them to begin the work, but the promise could not be realised without us. So we have seen this playing out and we thank God for the privilege. I thank Akwa Ibom people for giving us that opportunity,” he said.
Governor Eno appreciated the aviation minister for his honesty, zeal, and passionate effort towards ensuring that the facilities are properly utilised for the overall economic benefit of the country.
He also appreciated President Tinubu’s administration for granting approval of the upgrade of Victor Attah International Airport and the prompt release of funds for project execution in the state.
“These airport projects have not come this far with borrowed money. Akwa Ibom is not owing any bank a dime today. It Akwa Ibom money .
“If our president did not make the fund available, there is no way we would have got to where we are today,” he said.
