Anambra Cargo Airport will be ready April— Obiano

Chinazor Megbolu

The Anambra State Governor, Willie Obiano has said the State Cargo Airport located in Umueri, Anambra East Local Government will be ready for use in April 2021.

He made this known on Saturday when he led the joint committee of the National Assembly on inspection of the project.

Obiano also noted that the State was determined to deliver the airport in view of its enormous economic importance to the State and South East zone and the nation generally.

He added that the speed and quality of work at the site since January 2020 when the project started so far, is satisfactory.

Obiano, however, promised that by the end of April, air operation would have started fully at the airport.

He maintained the airport has the longest runway in Nigeria with satellite landing system to aid aircraft land anytime of the day and in all weather.

“One other important thing is that this is the only airport in Nigeria that has a satellite landing system, you can confirm that from the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority.

“We did that deliberately because this is going to be one of the busiest in Africa because of the orientation of our people who are business people and travelers,“ Obiano said.

Meanwhile, an aide to the Governor, Mr. Marcel Ifejiofor in his remarks, said the airport have two runways with 100 per cent erosion control, which would prevent flooding during rain.

He noted that the airport was a high tech project with good local content.

Ifejiofor buttressed that it was being executed by competent company under supervision of some of the best consultants in the aviation sector.

According to him; “this runway has 06, 024, it has a length of 3.7klm, the width is 60 metres, 45 metres carriage way and 15 metres shoulders and the category is 4F, meaning it can take any Airbus.

“The orientation is that you can land on two sides, you can land on 06 or 024, it has category two light and satellite landing system, one kilometer racer to take care of overrun.

“We have four grids on either side or a diversion channel to Oyi River”.

Moreover, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Aviation, Senator Smart Adeyemi, during the tour, said the airport project was viable and could compete favourably with Murtala Mohammed Airport in Lagos State.

He added the National Assembly joint committee would go back and think about how the Federal Government could help in the project.

“Aviation is key to social economic development for any political entity, we have heard about this airport and decided to come and see for ourselves.

“Most airports in Nigeria are not viable but they are essential, Lagos Airport contributes about 65 per cent to our aviation but I can say that next to Lagos is where we are standing,” he said