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The Federal government and the Enugu State government are to partner to complete and operationalise the international wing of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, as well as build a cargo terminal to boost the state’s and nation’s economy and tourism capacity.

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mr. Kabir Yusuf Mohammed, and the Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, made this known after a tour of the ongoing international terminal building and the proposed site for the international cargo terminal at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, on Monday.

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Speaking to newsmen after a courtesy visit to the Governor and tour of the facility with the Governor, Mr. Mohammed commended Mbah’s zeal and sense of urgency towards the actualisation and operationalisation of the two terminals, saying there was no better time to discuss partnership and collaboration than now.

“We met with the Governor here today with a view to collaborate with FAAN in order to make the international terminal functional. This is a time to look at things again and again before you will be able to get the right formula for it, and I believe His Excellency has that formula and within the shortest possible time, I can assure you that this terminal will be put to use.

“The first place we went to is supposed to be the cargo terminal. We have a cargo warehouse in that location as well as the cargo terminal.

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“Enugu, as the capital of South-Eastern region, is where we know that there is a lot of traders, who trade in different kinds of things across the globe.

“So, having in place a cargo terminal here will go a long way in improving the economy of the South-East Zone and the nation,” the FAAN boss stated.

Also speaking to reporters, Dr. Mbah said the operationalisation of the international terminal and construction of the cargo terminal and warehouse at the airport were critical to Enugu’s drive for a $30 billion economy, describing them as enablers of investments and key economic activities in the state.

“For us, the cargo terminal is critical. You know that we are migrating agriculture to agro-allied industrialisation. That means agriculture will not just be for food, it will also be for export. And the cargo terminal is critical if we are going to engage in the exporrt of agricultural and agro-allied produce from the state. We need to be able to export from here. That is why we are looking at partnering with FAAN to ensure that we start and complete a cargo terminal and indeed operationalise it.

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“As you can see, the international wing is almost complete. So, we need to have it operationalised. Until we get it functional, we will not be able to make money from it, and it will not impact anybody. We will not be able to create value for the people of Enugu or South East and indeed the entire country.

“Again, if you look at the huge economic development plan we have expressed to our people, tourism is core there. We are looking at attracting over three million visitors in Enugu yearly. That cannot happen just by road. It is going to occur by flying, getting people from all across the different parts of the world to come to Enugu; and that will mean having an international airport, this terminal, in operation. That is why we are looking at how we can work with FAAN to ensure the completion of this wing of the airport and indeed operationalise it”, Mbah stated.

On the challenge of funding, Mbah assured that FAAN and the state government would explore funding models to actualise the project.

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He said: “Now, we believe that projects like these are bankable because they are also revenue-yielding projects. So, there is no reason why we cannot find a financing model that will work for us and ensure that this project is immediately realised. The ultimate thing is to get it operationalised immediately”.

Mbah also said the state government and the FAAN team also had fruitful discussions on timeline to ensure the speedy completion of both projects.

“So, we are going to be working out a strategic framework of action of where we are going to, in all the functional areas, spell out timelines that we need to complete this project. But this time, it will not just be words; we will go beyond that to putting those words into action”, the Governor assured.

Massive turnout as Mbah meets civil servants, assures better welfare package, security

…we’ll support your administration for a new Enugu State – NLC, TUC

…Banks, filling stations, shopping malls open

Civil servants in Enugu State on Monday turned out en masse at a meeting with the state governor, Dr. Peter Mbah, at the State Secretariat, Enugu, in Monday, as the governor assured them of better welfare packages, safety of lives and property, and speedy infrastructural development for the wellbeing of the citizens.

This came on a day workers vowed to shun the Monday sit-at-home and embrace the new directive from government to boost productivity.

Mbah also assured the workers of different Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of government’s resolve to enhance their standard of living from low income earners to middle class income earners.

The governor, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Professor Chidiebere Onyia, further reiterated government’s resolve to make workers more professional and productive in discharging their duties through training in modern administrative system.

He said government had already hit the ground running by addressing dearth of infrastructure, fixing roads in strategic locations, clearing the streets of waste and working on how to bring water to every home.

According to him, the state was already engaging with development agencies such as the AFREXIM Bank, World Bank, and investors from Austria, Qatar, among others, in order to attract development and leapfrog the state economy from $4.4 billion to $30 billion.

The governor, therefore, solicited workers’ cooperation to enable the administration achieve its set vision and mission, enjoining them to be responsive and display positive attitude to the reform in the service as “it would no longer be business as usual”.

“We want to work with you to make our state great again. We will hold you accountable and we ask you to also hold us accountable.

“The Governor has directed that power be restored to the secretariat for efficiency. This will reduce the health hazards and environmental pollution posed by electricity generators.

“We cannot achieve all that this government has set out to do without you and without giving you the enabling environment to work. So, we are already talking with the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) to ascertain the problems, the debts and what it’ll take to give us power in our respective MDAs,” the SSG added.

While frowning at the level of plundering going on in the internally generated revenue (IGR) sector, the Governor regretted that a few individuals were diverting money meant for the welfare of workers to private pockets, assuring that the administration was already putting up mechanisms that would plug leakages in the sector through technology.

Speaking earlier, the Head of Service, Mr. Ken Chukwuegbo, commended the Governor for starting on the right footing through his friendly gesture to workers in the state, adding that the meeting would spur civil servants to embrace the collective responsibility of transforming the state.

In their respective speeches, the Chairman of the Civil Service Commission, Mr. Robinson Odo; Chairman of Permanent Secretaries, Dr. Ben Ezema, Enugu State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Comrade Fabian Nwigbo; Enugu State Chairman of the Trade Union Congress, TUC, Comrade Bennett Asogwa; and Chairman, Joint Public Service Negotiating Council, Comrade Ezekiel Onah, extolled the governor for being labour-friendly in his approach and engagement.

According to them, workers were prepared to support government in its effort to digitalize the public service.

Expressing delight that Mbah had returned power back to the people, the members of the organised labour said they would give anything within their reach to ensure that the lofty policies initiated by the government were actualised.

They, however, called on the state government to help them with transportation palliative and other reliefs in the face of the recent removal of fuel subsidy, which they said, had occasioned hardships for the workers.

Meanwhile, there was increased compliance with the government’s ban on Monday sit-at-home as a good number of banks, filling stations, markets, and shopping malls threw their doors open to customers.

At the New Haven area of Enugu, Pinnacle filling station was dispensing fuel to motorists from early hours of the morning, while Roban Stores opened to customers at about midmorning.

Several banks on Ogui Road including Zenith Bank, Guaranty Trust Bank and Access Bank were open. Fidelity Bank and Guaranty Trust Bank on Rangers Avenue were also open to customers.

Likewise, several banks on Okpara Avenue part of the Enugu State capital, including the two Access Bank branches on the major street were also open, but with customers trickling in.

At Ogbete Main Market, the entrance gates were wide open, but there were skeletal activities inside, while roadside traders were making sales along the access roads. A detachment of heavily armed troops was stationed at the roundabout to provide security at the market.