FG, Enugu partner to operationalise cargo, international terminals of Akanu Ibiam airport

The federal government and Enugu state are set to partner to complete and operationalise the international wing of the Akanu Ibiam Airport and its cargo terminal.

Kabir Yusuf Mohammed, the managing director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), on Monday, took a tour of the proposed site for the cargo terminal and the ongoing construction of the international wing.

He said the operationalisation of the terminals is timely as it will boost the economy of the south-east.

“We met with the governor here today with a view to collaborating with FAAN in order to make the international terminal functional,” he said.

“This is a time to look at things again and again before you will be able to get the right formula for it, and I believe his excellency has that formula and within the shortest possible time, I can assure you that this terminal will be put to use.

“The first place we went to is supposed to be the cargo terminal. We have a cargo warehouse in that location as well as the cargo terminal.

“Enugu as the capital of the south-eastern region, is where we know that there are a lot of traders, who trade in different kinds of things across the globe.

“So, having in place a cargo terminal here will go a long way in improving the economy of the south-east zone and the nation.”

Peter Mbah, governor of Enugu, told journalists that the airport terminals are enablers of investments and will be critical to the state’s drive for a $30 billion economy.

He said the cargo terminal will enable the state to engage in industrial agriculture for export.

“For us, the cargo terminal is critical. You know that we are migrating agriculture to agro-allied industrialisation,” Mbah said.

“That means agriculture will not just be for food, it will also be for export. And the cargo terminal is critical if we are going to engage in the export of agricultural and agro-allied produce from the state.

“We need to be able to export from here. That is why we are looking at partnering with FAAN to ensure that we start and complete a cargo terminal and indeed operationalise it.

“Again, if you look at the huge economic development plan we have expressed to our people, tourism is core there. We are looking at attracting over three million visitors to Enugu yearly. That cannot happen just by road.

“It is going to occur by flying, getting people from all across the different parts of the world to come to Enugu; and that will mean having an international airport, this terminal, in operation. That is why we are looking at how we can work with FAAN to ensure the completion of this wing of the airport and indeed operationalise it.

“Now, we believe that projects like these are bankable because they are also revenue-yielding projects. So, there is no reason why we cannot find a financing model that will work for us and ensure that this project is immediately realised. The ultimate thing is to get it operationalised immediately”.

He added that the state government alongside FAAN will work out a strategic framework of action to spell out timelines for the completion of the project.