May 27, (THEWILL) – Former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, on Saturday, inaugurated some facilities at the Victor Attah International Airport, including the Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul, (MRO) facility, and a new smart Terminal Building, among others.
The MRO facility, said to be capable of maintaining two Boeing 747 aircraft simultaneously is also said to be the first of its kind, undertaken by any sub-national in Africa.
Commissioning the projects, Saraki called for necessary support and timely approvals by the federal government to enable the facilities to function effectively.
He commended the state Governor, Mr Udom Emmanuel, for his insight to further expand the airport development, by bringing innovations that would make Akwa Ibom and by extension Nigeria, the hub in aircraft maintenance in Africa.
Speaking, Mr Udom Emmanuel listed projects lined up for inauguration at the airport including the new International Smart Terminal Building, the Maintenance, Repairs and Overhaul hanger, and the new Taxiway, which will also serve as a second runway.
According to him, all the projects, except the MRO, were initiated and completed by his administration as part of his holistic approach to aviation development.
“This beautiful sight is part of our pledge to make Akwa Ibom a major aviation hub in the Gulf of Guinea, and we give God all the Glory”, Governor Emmanuel said
Also speaking at the occasion, the initiator of the MRO project and former Governor of the state, Obong Victor Attah, applauded the novel strides by Governor Udom Emmanuel, saying his innovative projects in the aviation sector will yield foreign earnings for Akwa Ibom.
Obong Attah also commended Governor Udom Emmanuel’s wisdom to introduce twenty-first-century facilities that would further distinguish Akwa Ibom as a destination in the aviation industry globally.
He noted that the MRO is capable of servicing two Boeing 747 aircraft at the same time even as it is the first aircraft maintenance facility to be conceived in Africa and would attract traffic in the aviation industry to the state.
