Ugwuanyi reiterates commitment to Enugu Airport upgrade…Sets up expansion committee

Sequel to the recent outcry by air passengers and other stakeholders on the unsafe condition of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu  and the seeming inaction the Federal aviation authorities,the administration of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, in
keeping with its concerted efforts to bettering the condition of social infrastructures through the state encouragement of speedy intervention on the airpo by the federal government, yesterday announced its plan to constitute a stakeholders ‘committee that would look into and resolve all issues around the expansion of the airport.
The committee members, according to a statement by the Commissionerfor Information, Mr. Ogbuagu Anikwe, will comprise officials of theFederal Ministry of Aviation, Federal Airports Authority ofNigeria, and the Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority.
The State Ministries of Lands & Infrastructure, Commerce & Industry,and the management of the ENPOWER Free Trade Zone will join thecommittee, the statement added.
The state government, which noted the importance of the International Airport to the people of the South East geo-political zone, reiterated ts commitment to continue to support “every effort required to be made in order to get it functioning at optimum capacity and efficiency”.
The statement explained that the stakeholders would have to unravel what appeared to be a disagreement among federal authorities operatingin Enugu State regarding ownership of vast hectares of land that the state government has so far approved around the airport for their use.
It said: “If at the end of the meeting, it is established that any ofthe parties still needed more land, especially for the airportproject, the Enugu State government will promptly attend to this need.
“At the moment, it is important to emphasize that Enugu State has donated vast tracts of land for the airport expansion project and is also working to relocate further identified encumbrances such as alocal market, in order to encourage the federal authorities to speedily complete the project”.

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