Month: June 2025

  CHUKS OKOH. Cross River State requires additional airports to fully showcase its tourism potential, attract more business and leisure travellers to the state. Also, an additional airport or two would not be a burden to the State Government or be handed over to the Federal Government in the future. Capt. Eno Inah (retd) , the Commissioner of Aviation, Cross River State, expressed this optimism in an interview with journalists in Lagos on Wednesday. According to Inah, Cross River State was positioned to be a leading state in the country because of its geographical location. “Outside the coastline, we are at the depth of the Gulf of Guinea, that’s Sao Tome and Principe, there is Equatorial Guinea and others. If you can’t land in Calabar, you can land in Obudu airport,’ he said. Inah emphasised further that the present Margaret Ekpo International Airport, Calabar was inadequate for the myriad of activities ongoing in the state, adding that as a result of the location of the airport, the State Government could not extend its capacity. On the ongoing construction of Obudu Cargo Airport by the State Government, Inah assured that the airport would be launched before the end of the year. He maintained that a second or third airport in Cross River State would not only be viable, but also contribute to the economic growth of the state and the federation account. Inah pointed out that the tourism industry in the state was fast developing, likening its growth to that of South Africa and other countries within the continent. He said: “We can even add a third airport to the plan. If you are a regular traveller to outside the country, especially to Europe, you will know that we have airports with close proximity in Europe. We have airports that are just there for maintenance alone purposes alone. “I can tell you that there will be an additional airport even in Calabar soon. Don’t worry about Obudu Cargo Airport, we will complete it. “The Margaret Ekpo International Airport is constrained completely because there is no space for expansion, it’s inside the community and the neighbourhood is very close and right now, you cannot expand the runway. Urban development has eaten into the place with lots of encroachment into the land. “In the future, the Calabar Airport may likely be for the Air Force or may be when the President is flying to Calabar or anyone wants to meet with the governor, they can fly into that airport while the other ones will be purely for commercial aviation. Big aircraft as it is, can’t come to Calabar airport because of its small runway. And more so, it’s a Federal Government airport.” On the planned state-owned carrier, Inah, assured that the government would receive its Air Transport License (ATL) from the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) in the next three months, while the Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC) would follow suit. Already, he declared that the State Government had acquired additional two CRJ1000 aircraft in preparation for its own airline. He lauded the management of Aero Contractors, led by Capt. Ado Sanusi, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the airline for following the agreement reached with the State Government on the operations of Cally Air to the letter. “We are very much at home with the agreement we have with Aero Contractors and there is no default from any of the two sides. “Our relationship with the management of Aero Contractors is very smooth, we don’t have issues with them. We are working hard to be an airline like them. They are setting the standards and raising the bar in the airline sub-sector,” he said.   The Cross River State also planned to build a Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facilities and aviation school as parts of its aviation projects.

  CHUKS OKOH. In a bid to end N3.5 trillion agro produce wastages in the country, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and the Plateau Government on Wednesday, signed a Memorandum of Understanding. The signing of the MoU was to seal the strategic partnership between the authority and the state to upscale the Yakubu Gowon Airport, Jos into a premier food cargo hub. The Managing Director of FAAN, Mrs Olubunmi Kuku in her address, said that while FAAN would provide professional expertise, guidance and security, the state government would provide the financial muscle for the upgrade. Kuku said: “When N3.5 trillion worth of food perishes annually in Nigeria while global markets hunger for our produce, we know something must change. “Today, that change begins as we welcome the Governor of Plateau to FAAN headquarters Lagos, marking a historic turning point in Nigerian agricultural exports. “We are joining forces to transform the Yakubu Gowon Airport in Jos into a premier food cargo hub. “This is not just about building infrastructure, it is about building dreams, creating opportunities, and unleashing Plateau’s boundless agricultural potential onto the global stage,” she said. According to Kuku, it is a blueprint for the kind of collaboration that will drive Nigeria toward President Bola Tinubu’s vision of a one trillion-dollar economy by 2030. She urged investors to seize the opportunities presented in the partnership. “To all our stakeholders watching this historic moment: the time to act is now, Plateau State stands ready with its rich resources, FAAN stands ready with its expertise, and the markets stand ready for our produce. ‘We invite you to be part of this transformation, to invest in packaging facilities, storage solutions, and transportation infrastructure that will connect our farmers to the world. “Today we’re not just signing an agreement – we are signing a declaration of economic independence for our farmers. We are not just upgrading an airport, we are upgrading dreams. “Today, we show the world that FAAN is open for business, that Plateau State is ready to rise, and that Nigeria’s agricultural promise is finally taking flight. On his part, the Governor of Plateau, Mr Caleb Mutfwang lauded the transformative initiatives of President Bola Tinubu for creating an enabling environment to birth such collaborations. Mutfwang also commended the Minister of Aviation, Mr Festus Keyamo, SAN and Kuku for the political push as the state was a regional hub for agriculture produce in Africa. According to him, the visit of the FAAN boss in 2024 was beginning to take positive shape and will yield the desired revenue in the coming years. “There are a lot of commercial activities before the Jos market got burnt and we are in the process of rebuilding it to become the center of commerce in northern Nigeria. “We have started the Plateau commodities market to become an agregatiin center for food produce and we believe that we are on the right track. “Hopefully that will compliment the special agro processing zone which will soon onboard in partnership with the African Development Bank. According to him, there is also the dry inland port and discussions with the private sector is ongoing to see how to move it forward. He added that this partnership will yield the kind of result the FAAN Managing Director desired and assured that the MoU would not gather dust. He also assured investors of security in the state.

CHUKS OKOH The Cross River State Government is partnering with Lagos Aviation Academy (LAA), one of the conglomerates of Finchglow Holdings Ltd in the training of its indigenes for the aviation industry. This is as the management of LAA said it has graduated 3,125 students in the last eight years of its existence. Capt. Eno Inah, the Commissioner for Aviation, Cross River State, revealed this plan on Wednesday in Lagos during the facility tour of the academy. Inah, who expressed delight with the state-of-the-art facilities at the academy, said that the State Government was willing to train its aviation personnel at the academy. He explained that training of the state’s personnel in the academy would save the state foreign exchange, while its indigenes would also benefit more from the quality resource persons engaged by the school. He said: “I am highly impressed with the facilities at the Lagos Aviation Academy – its location, ambience and the cozy environment that is good for learning. We are an emerging aviation state because we are not up to five years and the school is already eight years with huge progress. “For us in Cross River State, presently, we have two aircraft, Boeing 737-300 and we are expecting delivery of two CRJ1000 aircraft soon. We are evolving with the academy and from what I have seen here, I won’t hesitate to write to His Excellency Sen. Bassey Otu, the Governor of Cross River State, to send some of our staff for training in the academy. “First, it would save us foreign exchange expenses. It would be cost-friendly to train our staff until we establish our own aviation school. I am happy at what I am seeing in the school. Once they have the right certification, we will work with them for the training of our personnel in the aviation industry.” During the tour of the facilities, Inah, also counselled students of the school to dedicate their time to their studies and urged them to be purposeful about their future. He assured that the brilliant ones among them would be absorbed into its airline when it finally comes onboard in the next few months. Also commenting, Bolaji Durojaiye, Head of School, LAA, said that the academy had produced 3,125 graduates in the last eight years with most of them engaged in the sector in Nigeria and beyond. Durojaiye, however, said that the journey had been tough, but commended the management of the academy for remaining focused over the years. He also lauded the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) for effective regulation of the sector in Nigeria. As a major Approved Training Organisation (ATO) in Nigeria, Durojaiye said that the school currently runs 31 courses, which range from cabin crew training in different types – Boeing 737, CRJ1000, Embraer 135, 145, HS125 and others. He also mentioned basic and the advanced class programmes, IATA foundation in travel and tourism, visa application and processes and others as some of the courses of the school. “In the last eight years, we have graduated 3,125 students from this school since inception. For the future, we plan to extend our curriculum. We are going to introduce the maintenance programme, we are almost done with that. We are going to go into a proper maintenance programme. “We will start with the basic aircraft technician course and much later, we will go into the licensing course – Aircraft Maintenance Engineering (AME). That is the plan for now.” Besides, Mr. Bankole Bernard, the Group Managing Director, Finchglow Holding Ltd, admonished the students to identify and discover their uniqueness in order to pave the way for themselves in the industry. “You are not in LAA by coincidence. LAA must resonate with who you are. Your being here must not be a waste,” he added.  

  CHUKS OKOH The coalition of South -South Chambers of Commerce, Industry , Mines and Agriculture, (COSSCCIMA) , has sent a letter of appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to express its gratitude for his  commitment to international best practices and youth empowerment by restoring the consultancy services for the collection of  helicopter landing levies for air navigation services by  NAEBI Dynamic Concept Limited. In two separate letters to the President Tinubu , through the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development and the Minister of State , Petroleum Resources dated June 3, 2025, the umbrella body of  South South Chambers of Commerce , Industry , Mines and Agriculture in the six states in the region lauded Tinubu for his steadfast commitment in ensuring sustainable funding of critical aviation infrastructure , youth empowerment , economic development and business stability in the Niger Delta region. The letter  was  signed by COSSCCIMA President , Hon. Indutimi Komonibo,  and Chairman Board of Trustees ,  Dr.  Billy S . Gillis Harry . They  said the recent decision by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr Festus Keyamo to restore consultancy services for revenue collection by NAEBI Dynamic Concept Limited, following its temporary suspension due to concerns raised the Airline Operators of Nigeria , demonstrates Mr President’s commitment in addressing the needs of local communities and businesses while strengthening the regulatory framework by government institutions. Such action by Mr President, they   said acknowledges  the significant benefits of the consultancy , which aligns with International Civil Aviation Organisation , ICAO regulations and remains a standard practice across the European Union , the United Kingdom , the United States , Canada and Asia. They  said the consultancy plays a vital role in creating employment  opportunities for local youths across over 1,000  oil and gas platforms in the region. Besides, the consultancy, they highlighted will mitigate youth restiveness  foster  sustainable community development, enhance security and stability within the region. They said the consultancy will increase revenue generation for sustainable funding of critical aviation infrastructure in addition to improving air traffic management and regulatory oversight to ensure greater efficiency within the aviation sector ,The letter reads : ” By this commendable gesture , business leaders and youths of the Niger Delta proudly stand in support of the government and wholeheartedly endorse the vision and aspirations of Mr President . “We urge the Federal Government not to be swayed by detractors  and groups operating outside the legal frameworks , who neither own businesses nor contribute to employment in our region , yet seek to obstruct progress and promote instability. “As the umbrella body representing the entire executives and genuine business leaders from the six States : Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta, Akwa Ibom, Cross Rivers, Edo , where oil companies operate , the South South Chambers of Commerce  wholeheartedly endorses this initiative for the benefits of the Nigerian Aviation sector, the South South region, its youth ,security and the nation at large. “We are uniquely positioned to provide an informed, fair and accurate account of business activities within our domain , unlike individuals or groups outside the Niger Delta who are neither registered not  known in law yet operate as extensions of associations solely to collect membership dues , brand themselves as experts primarily to encourage foreign entities to disregard Federal Government directives and national laws. ” Honourable Minister , Sir, you may wish to note that many oil companies , through their activities, have yet to comply  with the prescribed landing fee obligations. This non- compliance presents  significant challenges in the successful implementation of this policy and the realization of its intended benefits. ” We remain steadfast in our commitment to collaborating with the government to drive economic growth , strengthen  regulatory efficiency and foster lasting peace in the Niger Delta. ” In this regard , we respectfully seek your esteemed office’s  intervention to ensure industry wide  compliance with the prescribed obligation under Nigerian law. “Thank you , Honourable Minister , for your unwavering leadership and dedication to advancing Nigeria’s petroleum sector and fostering  sustainable economic prosperity.”