DETERMINED to ensure speedy rehabilitation of Akanu Ibiam Airport, Enugu, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State on Thursday approved the immediate relocation of the transmission mast of the Enugu State Broadcasting Service (ESBS) located at Ngwo near the State capital.
Briefing newsmen after the meeting of the State Executive Council (EXCO), the commissioner for information Ogbuagu Anikwe explained that the relocation of the mast was in fulfilment of one of the requests made by the Ministry of Aviation as part of the measures to enhance the safety of the international airport.
Anikwe, who stressed that all hands must be on deck to make sure that the airport was rehabilitated to international standard, said the issue of obstruction by the mast was very dear to the state government, adding that the Managing Director of ESBS has been summoned to return from his meeting in Abuja to start relocating the mast at Ngwo.
The Information Commissioner also said that the action committee that will be inaugurated next week, would deal with other issues or encumbrances militating against the upgrade of the airport.
The State government Spokesman pointed out that Governor Ugwuanyi had assured that the state government would carry out every other thing that the federal authorities required to upgrade the airport.
“It is not just the Enugu State government, but all the South East Governors have been united in their eagerness and support to ensure that the project is completed”, he added.
He also maintained that the state government placed a high premium on the safety and effective operation of the Enugu international airport because of its socio-economic and political benefits to the people of the Southeast geopolitical zone.
Throwing more light, the Commissioner for Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority (ECTDA), Chidi Aroh stated that Governor Ugwuanyi, who is totally committed to the protection of lives and property, had adjusted back the time-frame for the inauguration of the intervention committee to Wednesday because of the urgency of the matter.
According to him, Governor Ugwuanyi is committed to ensuring the rehabilitation of the airport because of his love for the people and the vital role Enugu is playing as the capital of the Southeast, and indeed, Southern Nigeria.
“The governor is not waiting for the Federal Government to do a few things there. He is committed to doing most of the works he can do. It is on record that he has mobilized South East Governors to intervene on the issues of the airport as a South East project”, Aroh further said.
It would be recalled that the Enugu State government had constituted a stakeholders’ committee that would look into and resolve all issues around the expansion of the airport.
The committee, which comprises officials of the Federal Ministry of Aviation, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, and the Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority, also has the State Ministries of Lands & Urban Development, Commerce & Industry, and Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority, as well as the management of the ENPOWER Free Trade Zone.
The stakeholders, according to the state government, would have to unravel what appeared to be a disagreement among Federal Agencies operating in Enugu State regarding ownership of vast hectares of land that the state government had so far approved around the airport for use.
It was noted that if at the end of the meeting, it is established that any of the parties still needed more land, especially for the airport project, the Enugu State government will promptly attend to such need.
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