Leadership (Abuja)
Moses John
16 November 2007
Abuja — Deputy president of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, has applauded the federal government for its decision to upgrade the Akanu Ibiam Airport in Enugu to an international airport.
A statement issued by the office of the minister of transportation, Diezani Alison-Madueke, said President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua had given approval for the transformation of the airport to an international one.
A statement signed by the special adviser (media) to the deputy president of the Senate, Mr. Paul Odenyi, quotes him as saying that the approval was in fulfilment of an earlier promise made by the president to the South-East caucus of the Senate, which met with him at the State House, Abuja. The caucus, at the meeting, had enumerated key developmental needs of the zone, including the lack of an international airport in the area.
He explained that the government's decision has helped to remedy obvious lopsidedness in terms of the location of major airports in the country. Before now, each zone, except the South-East, had one or more international airports.
Ekweremadu said: "For me, from the South-East, it is a fulfilment of the hope and desire of the people. Prior to this time, we had international airports across the country but there was none in the South-East, but following representation by the people of the South-East over the years, we the elected representatives, especially the senators, sometime in July, met with the president and presented the request to him. He expressed regret that the Enugu Airport was not an international airport, and so, following that, we formally requested through a letter that the Enugu Airport be made an international airport.
"I want to use this opportunity to express my gratitude to the president and all my colleagues in the Senate for taking the bold steps that have now been approved by the president, and, as I speak to you now, I believe that all the people from the South-East all over the world have come to rejoice because, henceforth, our people will stop passing through Lagos, Abuja and other international airports to reach our place.
"The president had stated that it will be done in three years, but I hope that the people of the South-East, especially the government of Enugu State, will work in partnership with the federal government to ensure that this is achieved in a year or two. I look forward to the day when our people will join the rest of the country to have equal access to the facilities and infrastructure, especially when it comes to transportation, because we are a mobile people.
"The Enugu international airport will provide landing not only for the people of the state but for others in the region, the South-South and the North-central zones. It will be easier for people from Benue, Kogi, Akwa Ibom, Cross River and Delta States to land in Enugu than to travel all the way from Lagos or Abuja".
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