New International Airport in Enugu Commercially Viable - Ortom

Dr. Samuel Ortom, supervising minister of Aviation, has assured Nigerians that the new international terminal being constructed at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu would be commercially viable when it becomes operational.

Ortom gave this assurance on Monday, when he was responding to questions by journalists during his inspection tour of new projects at the airport.

He said sufficient economic survey was made before the project was initiated by the Federal Government apart from the fact that Nigerians from the South East geo-political zone of the country, who are well known for their business enterprise would be of capable of generating sufficient passenger and cargo traffic on that international route.

The supervising minister undertook an inspection tour of the airport to assess the stages of completion of some major projects there, including a General Aviation Terminal, Pilots Lounge, Pilgrims Terminal and the new International Terminal, one of the five being constructed in Lagos, Kano, Abuja, Port-Harcourt and Enugu, under Federal Government’s agenda in the Aviation Industry.

The supervising minister who expressed satisfaction with the rate of work on the projects will also visit other airports in the country, in continuation of the inspection tour of airport projects.

According to Yakubu Dati, coordinating spokesperson, Aviation Parastatals, Ortom was accompanied on the inspection tour by Dr. Jamila Shuára, permanent secretary, Ministry of Aviation, Directors in the Ministry and heads of parastatals under the Ministry.
It will be recalled that the Akanu Ibiam International Airport Enugu officially commenced international flight operations late last year with Ethiopian Airlines, the first from the South East geo-political zone since the county’s independence.