Anambra Int’l cargo airport will be operational next month -Obiano

Has 3.7 kilometres runway

Maduako Igbokwe l Sunday, March 28, 2021

 

UMUERI, Anambra- Governor of Anambra state Chief Willie Obiano has disclosed that the state International Cargo Airport in Umueri ,  Anambra East  local government  will be completed and  operational  by next month, April 2021.

Obiano made the disclosure when the joint Senate  and House of Representatives committees on Aviation  led by chairman, Senate committee on Aviation senator Smart Adeyemi  visited the airport .

According to the governor ,when the  airport  becomes functional next month, it will be the  largest airport  with the best and longest  runway in the country  and Africa. The governor said  ,the intention of the government was to make it the busiest airport in the country and in Africa  .

Obiano said that the airport is the   only airport in Nigeria  that has  satellite  landing system and that  any plane can land  without light. He said it is done  deliberately  because , it is projected to be  the busiest and most viable  airport  in  Africa.

According to him, the state government took into consideration the business nature  of the people of Anambra state who are  everywhere in the world doing business , while planning the airport  .

” Everything about the airport’s  runway is completed . We have also finished   Apron where the planes will land  since last month .  We have also completed the taxiway a month ago and  in the next five days the  tower will be completed .

Each time  I traveled to any airport  around the world, I look for what to copy” he said.  Explaining to the committees  about the airport ,the state commissioner for works, Mr. Marcel Ifejiofor  said the  length of the runway is about 3.7 kilometre while    the  width  is six  metres  .

According to him ,it has  the longest runway in Nigeria and it is  fitted with landing  satellite system  in case of light failure. He  also reaffirmed  that the runway is  completed  with double rebound runway and that  plane can land from either   side  .

Chairman Senate committee on Aviation, Senator Smart Adeyemi  who led the  Senate  and House of Representatives  on Aviation on  the visits  commended  governor   Obiano for  constructing   one  of the  largest and best airports in Nigeria. Adeyemi  described the airport   as  a welcome  development and one  of the best   in Nigeria  .

According to Adeyemi,  the Anambra state Cargo  International Airport is second to Lagos airport  in term of quality of runway  and facilities  in the country . “I have traveled round the world ,the quality of this airport runway is wonderful and great  .Your Excellency, what you have done is beyond helping  Anambra state to Nigeria. South east is endowed  with entrepreneurial skills  and they must support the airport  to be viable.

For any airport  to be viable ,it must have  at least  5000 passengers every year   ” he said . He said that  he is proud to be in Anambra to witness the good work the governor is doing ,even in the  harsh economy . Adeyemi called on other governors to emulate the governor’s  gesture  in the construction of quality works in their states .

Speaking at the event, Uche Ekwunife , a chieftain of the People Democratic Party (PDP ),the major opposition party  in the state , said that  she is proud of governor Willie Obiano  and his works .

” Despite our different political affiliations ,when you see a good thing ,always appreciate it . I am proud of the governor and the commissioner for the  great and wonderful work they are doing  in the airport. They are  meticulously   supervising  the project  ” she said .