ENUGU — PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan has fulfilled his campaign promise to Ndigbo of the South Eastern zone of the country by approving the take off an international airport and the proposed establishment of a Free Trade Zone in Enugu to boost the economy of the zone.
The President commissioned the remodelled terminal of Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, weekend, with an assurance that the first international flight by Ethiopian Airline would take off from the airport next month.
Jonathan, who also addressed Igbo stakeholders and political leaders at a forum held at Government House, Enugu, said he would continue to protect the interest of Ndigbo, having enjoyed tremendous support from the zone since he ventured into national politics.
He said the upgrade of Enugu airport was one of the key requests he received from the people of the South East during his campaign in 2011, adding that he promised to bring about the transformation of the economy by opening up the international wing of the airport.
The President said: ”This is the fulfillment of that promise. I am grateful that this promise is being fulfilled through key interventions not only here at the Akanu Ibiam international airport, Enugu, but also at the Sam Mbakwe Cargo Airport in Owerri and other major sectors. We shall not relent until every promise we made is fulfilled.
”With Enugu hosting a brand new runway and a newly remodelled terminal, the South East region of Nigeria will be saying to the world we are open for business.”
Laying the foundation of the new international terminal of the airport, a project expected to be completed in December 2014, the president said when completed, the airport would lift about 500,000 international passengers each year as well as facilitate the export of farm produce from Nigeria.
He said the South East was a land-locked area, stressing that “if there is any zone in this country that really needs international airport, it is the South East because most other zones have access to the sea but the South East is land-locked, even when the people of the zone are more in commerce, industry and are the most travelled.”
