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First flight at Anambra Airport


According to the Anambra State Governor,  Dr Willie Obiano, the decision to start the project, taken only  two years to the end of his tenure in office amid economic challenge of the coronavirus pandemic recession was a huge task to engage.

 

Perhaps, that may have prompted the doubting Thomases not to see the possibility of his completing the project. But even with almost one year  still remaining in his tenure, the project has been done, delivered and yearning for full operations.

 

SIMILAR to the scenic Singapore International Airport that sprawls into the banks of an ocean, Anambra’s airport sits like a golden nest between five hills and waters. It is built to be  an environmentally friendly marvel in line with Anambra’s unique taste and style. It has a 3.7km runway and a hanger section of about three football fields by two in dimension

 

ACCORDING to Gov. Obiano, the project benefitted from the services of  seven contractors from around the world; three from South Africa, two from Lebanon and two from Nigeria. The runway, tarmac and apron were constructed by South African contractors; the Lebanese IDC company built the taxi road, while a Nigerian company,  proved its worth in other crucial sections of the project.

 

THE beauty of the facility is in the avoidance of pitfalls that mark such projects in Nigeria. For example, its ability not to retain water in any section of the tarmac after rainfall.  Part of its sense of giving ndi Anambra an airport comparable to world beaters, is a landing space that can take even aircrafts as big as the  Airbus 11 aircraft comfortably in the take-off and landing.  The airport also, has not just a clinic but a well equipped hospital and a trauma centre. Its expansive runway is  capable of taking-in two aircrafts simultaneously for take offs and landing.

 

 THE  terminal building has three escalators, three lifts, two bridges and 36 shops.   The Government of Anambra State also procured three high quality, state-of-the -art fire trucks that can spray water as far as three miles radius to guard against fire emergencies. Huge and impressive as the project is, a factor that must not be missed is that   all the financial engagements of the contract have been  fully met.

 

WITH all these qualities and properties, it is hard to imagine how they were quietly achieved within such a short period. Another  question that comes to mind is how it was  possible  for such a  magnitude of project ongoing in the state, yet people did not take much notice of it.

 

What detractors were busy selling to gullible minds were the inter-communal crisis in Aguleri and Umueri. Interestingly too, nobody in Anambra government joined issues with the detractors. Apparently, the governor’s saying,- “my eyes are on the ball” captured his soul commitment and focus on the project.

 

That singular focus marked by disregard of detractors which has become a hallmark of Chief Obiano, has as usual, given ndi Anambra a big historic facility.What more could define the astuteness of a man so much gifted with vision?

 

ANAMBRA Airport indeed is a legacy project posterity will honour the governor  for ages and a charge for ndi Anambra to walk tall anywhere in the world. But beyond these, the governor is already setting benchmarks for the next person to rule the state. Excellence must beget excellence.

 

This burning desire is captured in the governor’s lines also, “by the grace of God, I will finish very strongly and handover to somebody that will do more.  I will go home and rest and hope that history will be kind to me.”

 

NATIONAL Light believes that past governors of the state made their marks in the state development but Obiano has upped the ante by  elevating investment opportunities in the state with the airport and other legacy projects like the international conference centre, among others

 

While these legacy projects are there for the state to savour, it is equally our view, especially, as it concerns the airport, that seasoned managers of the legacies from Anambra be made to handle it and sustain its envisioned values. Anambra has the human resources to meet this expectation, if not surpass it.

 

 ANAMBRA State born aviation mogul, Allen Onyema’s aircrafts will be touching down the Anambra Airport tomorrow, while another iconic scion of ‘Mother Anambra’, Obijackson, has promised to also land his aircraft at the airport during the test-landing.

 

More ndi Anambra are gearing up to take the aviation industry to the next level. Anambra International Cargo and Passenger Airport may turn the spring-board for unprecedented venture into aviation business by the savvy Anambra entrepreneurs.

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