Aviation development: Gov Eno’s commitment is unquestionable — Ememobong

With the addition of two new CRJ 900 Next Gen aircraft to the fleet of Ibom Air, Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Information, Comrade Ini Ememobong, says the commitment of Governor Umo Eno to ensuring sustainable growth in the aviation sector is unquestionable.

Reflecting on the development over the weekend, Ememobong said Pastor Eno’s sustained investment in Ibom Air “is a part of the larger investment in aviation, which aims to make our state an aviation hub.”

Last Friday, Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, took delivery of two new Bombardier CRJ900 aircraft for the state-owned airline, Ibom Air, with assurances that his administration will expedite actions towards achieving optimum returns on investment of public funds and assets within and outside the state.

The governor, who received the two aircraft labelled 5N-CED and 5N-CEE, which touched ground at Victor Attah International Airport, Uyo, at 2:59 p.m. and 3:06 p.m., respectively, into the traditional water cannon reception, affirmed that the acquisition was funded in full by the state government without any loan or facility from any financial institution.

This, he said, was in line with his administration’s determination to break the vicious cycle of state government investments existing only to settle debts in favour of financial institutions, adding that his administration will rather explore ventures that will ensure returns on investment to the state.

The governor lauded the impressive performance of Ibom Air in the Nigerian aviation industry, and tasked the management to ensure the airline declares profit in 2025 to justify the investment of the state funds.

The State Chief Executive urged the management of Ibom Air to prioritise the flight needs of Akwa Ibom travellers by ensuring Uyo inbound and outbound flights are not truncated.

Governor Eno maintained that besides the 18-storey complex underway in Nigeria’s economic capital, Lagos, his administration will soon flag-off a 4-star hotel on the state-owned property in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, an international market in Ikot Ekpene, while the international terminal at the Victor Attah International Airport will soon commence partial operation by December, ahead of its full activation in 2025.

“Between now and the first quarter of next year, we will be flagging off a four-star hotel in Abuja because we are determined to turn all our moribund property to commercial use. By next year, the MRO behind us will have been completed. We are putting in so much money already, and we are at 95 percent completion. In December, we are going to partially open the brand new international terminal, and then it will be fully opened by the first quarter of next year.”

“As long as I remain governor, we will continue to use the state’s money for the generality of our people. We will not put the money in a few pockets. We will rather put the money in things that will benefit all of us. So we will continue to put money together to fund our critical infrastructure.

“For the Ibom towers in Lagos, we will make sure that we don’t borrow a dime, and we will finish in 24 months by the grace of God.

“To the Ibom Air, while we thank you for your wonderful management team, we urge you that from 2025, we must begin to receive profits from the operations of the Ibom Air. We must begin to receive profits so that our investment will be worth the while.”

In a related development, the governor made a stopover at the site for Ibom Aviation Village, and assured that the project will be flagged off in two weeks.

Earlier, the Chairman of Ibom Air Limited, Pastor Imoabasi Jacob, thanked Akwa Ibom people and air travellers across Nigeria for their patronage and support for the airline. He particularly commended the governor for the investment in the brand, which, he said, has increased its fleet to nine in a very short time and has increased its capability for more frequent flights along the Uyo-Lagos-Abuja routes.

Also speaking, the CEO of Ibom Air, Captain Mfon Udom, commended the governor for his commitment to the growth of the state-owned airline, adding that the two new aircraft have come in to increase the capacity of the airline in readiness for Christmas. He assured of increased frequency and efficiency.

Fielding questions from newsmen, the Group Manager, Marketing and Communications, Ibom Air, Anie Essienette, said the demand for services of Ibom Air across the nation has become quite huge, describing Governor Umo Eno’s intervention of bringing in the two CRJ900, while the company awaits the supply of the nine pending Airbuses as a great boost to the company’s capacity to meet the demands of its teeming passenger base.