Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, has assured that the Benin airport will soon commence full night-time flight operations.
Obaseki said facilities that will enable aircraft to land at night are being received in batches.
He gave the assurance while addressing journalists at the Benin airport, after the departure of the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, who was in the state to launch the National Home Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP).
According to the governor, the landing facilities at the airport were already functioning which enabled the vice president to depart Benin through the airport few minutes to 7:00pm last Thursday.
“We are expecting more night landing equipment to be installed at the Benin airport especially the lights.
“The contractor has assured us that the lights will arrive before the end of February. We will launch it and have our inaugural night flight to Benin,” he said.
On the delayed flag off of the Benin-Abraka Road reconstruction, Obaseki said he had spoken with the new managing director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), and has secured his understanding for the road construction to go ahead if it becomes impossible to get the vice president to flag it off.
“I have spoken with the new NDDC managing director, we may just go ahead to flag it off if we cannot get it on the vice president’s schedule,” he said.
The Benin-Abraka is a 106km road project which would connect several agrarian communities in Orhionmwon Local Government Area of Edo State.
Meanwhile, Obaseki has sponsored the participation of five students from the Government Science and Technical College, Benin, formerly Benin Technical College, in the Construction Artisans’ Awards, in Abuja.
The governor said the sponsorship is part of efforts to reposition Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) to groom a large army of skilled workforce for Edo State
The Construction Artisans’ Awards organised by Construction Skills Training and Empowerment Project (C-STemp) is a national competition to groom artisanal skills and is aimed at generating interest, innovation, and craftsmanship in construction trades.
The students from Edo State in the competition are Mathias Kelechi, Eliminhano Clargy, Baro-Lamidi Joseph, Gift Okosun, Otuniya Emmanuella and Thomas Oriasotie.
The governor, who ensured the students prepared and participated in the competition, also supported them with an all-expense paid trip to and from the competition.
The regional stage of the competition was held in Delta State while the national contest was in Abuja.
One of the students, Okosun, on arrival in Benin, praised the governor for sponsoring their participation.
“In Abuja, I was able to learn new things relating to tiling. I thank the governor for the opportunity to be at the event. I am now more encouraged to follow my passion because of the support of the governor,” Okosun said.
Oriasotie said the governor’s support was a major motivating factor, saying: “We are highly motivated by the gesture of the governor. Interacting with students from other states and experienced artisans were the high moments for me. From what I learned, I will be able to put my skills to better use.”
Obaseki is remodelling the GSTC, Benin and is being equipped with a new set of workshop equipment.