By Aniekan Umanah
As the world continues to be awed by the incredible story of a burgeoning aviation sector in Akwa Ibom State, there is an amazing chapter by Governor Umo Eno. He has not only taken over the baton like in a relay race but rather than just run, he is giving the vision of his predecessors wings to fly. Evidently, for Akwa Ibom State, the sky is the limit.
According to Henri Coandă, the Romanian aerodynamics inventor, “a regional airport represents the heart of the community, a gateway that connects people, promotes commerce, and drives local economic growth.”
Yes, regional aviation development is not just about connectivity; it’s also about creating opportunities, fostering economic development, and enhancing the quality of life in the sub-nationals. This vision and spirit perhaps drove the succeeding administrations in Akwa Ibom State to make significant contributions in different ways and at different stages to breathe life into the vision of aviation sector development in the State.
From Governors Victor Attah, Godswill Akpabio, Udom Emmanuel, and now, to Umo Eno, the trajectory has remained alive. The vision came from Arc Obong Attah. Senator Akpabio made it a reality and landed the first Arik Boeing 737-600 series airplane on the sunny afternoon of September 23, 2009. Mr. Udom Emmanuel deepened the vision by establishing an airline , Ibom Air which has firmly placed Akwa Ibom on the global aviation map. He continued the drive with investment in the taxiway construction and the new terminal building. Governor Umo Eno has spared nothing in pushing the vision with huge investments in the completion of the taxiway and new terminal building, construction of the airside internal roads, aprons, and hanger backside, as well as pursuing the delivery of 19 Airbus A220s for the State-owned airline; Ibom Air. Kudos to all of them for doing their best to give the State a pride of place on ground and in the sky. But Governor Umo Eno’s administration is doing excellently well in putting the finishing touches on the big dream of the State in the aviation sector.
At the fifth anniversary of Ibom Air in Uyo, Governor Eno paid glowing tributes to his immediate predecessor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, for his foresight that is putting Akwa Ibom State in the big league, and painting the skies with orange, making Ibom Air the beautiful bride in the aviation industry.
Since Governor Umo Eno entered the cockpit of Flight Akwa Ibom, he has upped the ante of the game rather than allowing the steam and flame of the torch lit by his predecessors to dim. Governor Eno has kept the light admirably aglow.
This has been reflected in his avowed commitment to developing the aviation sector from where his predecessors stopped. For instance, Governor Umo Eno has completed the smart International Terminal Building at the Victor Attah International Airport, started by his predecessor, as well as the expansion of the Udom Emmanuel dual carriage airport road.
He has continued to keep Akwa Ibom State triumphant in the air. Recently, he visited the Samco Aviation Maintenance Facility in Maastricht, Netherlands, to inspect the new Airbus A220-300 series aircraft acquired by Ibom Air.
The new aircraft from Carlyle Aviation aims to enhance Ibom Air’s operations as they await the delivery of planes previously ordered from Airbus. This will help Ibom Air meet the growing demand from passengers who have made Ibom Air their airline of choice.
To further the aviation industry development, Governor Eno also met with top Airbus executives, including Graanne van den Berg, Vice President of Marketing for Africa and the Middle East, and Hadi Akoum, Vice President of Sales for Africa. Governor Eno discussed the delivery timelines for the remaining aircrafts ordered by Ibom Air during the 2021 Dubai Airshow.
Governor Eno is very committed to the holistic development of the aviation sector in Akwa Ibom State. This commitment took him on an aviation development diplomacy push to make a surprise visit to the 15 cadets from Akwa Ibom State at the Airbus Flight Academy in Angoulême, France. The investment of the State Government in these cadets is to ensure that they return, upon graduation, to work with Ibom Air.
This aligns squarely with Governor Umo Eno’s dedication to human capacity development, youth empowerment, and strengthening the future workforce of the State.
Previously, Governor Eno had taken delivery of one of the ten aircrafts that the State government, through Ibom Air, contracted with Airbus at the Dubai Airshow.
From all directions, Governor Umo Eno is ensuring that the dream of an economically viable and development-driven Akwa Ibom remains aglow through huge investments in aviation sector development.
That is why one cannot but agree with the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, that Akwa Ibom is Nigeria’s best-kept secret as it promises to be the gateway to the Gulf of Guinea. Governor Umo Eno is leaving no stone unturned in making this dream a reality.
Welcome to the third week of the seventh month.
Aniekan Umanah writes from Abak, Akwa Ibom State
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