The Akwa Ibom State government is ready to hand over the management of Ibom International airport, Uyo, to the federal government, the state governor, Godswill Akpabio, has said.
The request of the state government is coming at a time the federal government has concessioned some parts of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos to private operators and plans are afoot to concession other federal airports across the country.
The Ibom International Airport, which was initially designed as a cargo airport, is currently being upgraded with the construction of its maintenance, repair and overhaul hanger.
Mr Akpabio, who expressed the wish of the state government at the weekend in Uyo, during a meeting with the minister of aviation, Stella Oduah Ogiemwonyi, said the state government was willing to relinquish ownership of the airport on condition that the federal government signs a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with it.
Mr Akpabio said the federal government would particularly benefit from the maintenance, repair, and overhaul hanger under construction.
International standard
Describing the state airport as one that met with international standards, the governor noted that his government was willing to partner with the federal government and stated that plans were on to add another runway to the existing one.
"Nigeria does not encourage progress. I would have thought the federal government would have even jumped and taken over the project. We have constructed an international runway. The federal government could have built a second runway. We could have used it an economic hub for the Gulf of Guinea and for rescue operation in times of emergency," Mr Akpabio said.
Already, the state government has trained some personnel to operate the airport in Australia, Canada, and the US.
Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everydayThe request of the state government is coming at a time the federal government has concessioned some parts of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos to private operators and plans are afoot to concession other federal airports across the country.
The Ibom International Airport, which was initially designed as a cargo airport, is currently being upgraded with the construction of its maintenance, repair and overhaul hanger.
Mr Akpabio, who expressed the wish of the state government at the weekend in Uyo, during a meeting with the minister of aviation, Stella Oduah Ogiemwonyi, said the state government was willing to relinquish ownership of the airport on condition that the federal government signs a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with it.
Mr Akpabio said the federal government would particularly benefit from the maintenance, repair, and overhaul hanger under construction.
International standard
Describing the state airport as one that met with international standards, the governor noted that his government was willing to partner with the federal government and stated that plans were on to add another runway to the existing one.
"Nigeria does not encourage progress. I would have thought the federal government would have even jumped and taken over the project. We have constructed an international runway. The federal government could have built a second runway. We could have used it an economic hub for the Gulf of Guinea and for rescue operation in times of emergency," Mr Akpabio said.
Already, the state government has trained some personnel to operate the airport in Australia, Canada, and the US.
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