During my campaign for election as President
in 2011, one of the promises I made to
Nigerians was to bring about transformation
of the national economy.
This promise is being delivered in the South
East Geo-political Zone through, amongst
other key interventions; the
transformational work going on not only
here at Akanu Ibiam International Airport in
Enugu, but also at the Sam Mbakwe
International Cargo Airport, Owerri”,
President Jonathan declared on Saturday,
May 18, 2013 during the Foundation Laying/
Commissioning Ceremony of the remodeled
Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu.
Indeed, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan’s
Transformation Agenda is getting full
expression in the Aviation sector not only in
the renewal of airport infrastructure,
especially Terminal rehabilitation and
upgrade, but also very poignantly for the
people of the South East, as the first
international flight operated by Ethiopian
Airlines lands at the Akanu Ibiam
International Airport, Enugu today, August
24, 2013.
For the people of the land-locked region and
it’s environs stretching to the South South
and parts of the Middle Belt, it has been a
long dream come true; almost like a Long
Walk To Freedom. Although the Enugu airport
had in fact borne the name ‘International’
since it was officially so designated on
December 17, 2010 by then Acting President
Jonathan, all hope of actually playing host to
international flights had remained forlorn
for the people of the region-until today,
that is!
When the President rolled out his
Transformation Agenda with promises of a
new dawn, a lot of hopes were expectedly
raised. Now those hopes have crystalized into
reality for people from the South East zone
who were assured that the Akanu Ibiam
International Airport, Enugu, would truly
answer its name in the lifetime of the
Jonathan Presidency. This is concrete proof
that this President keeps promises once they
are made.
This historic international flight, perhaps the
first since after the Civil War, is both
symbolic and revolutionary. It symbolizes the
end of an era where an entire region was
almost shut out from the rest of the world,
literally speaking, to one where the same
enclave is now open to a new and exciting
world of endless possibilities.
According to President Jonathan, “the South
East Region of Nigeria, with this
international airport, can confidently say
to the world ‘we are open for business’! The
region and it’s environs is indeed open for
business. This inaugural flight is equally
revolutionary as this singular development
will certainly change the way of life of the
inhabitants of the region, forever.
Before now, anyone residing in the zone and
hoping to embark on international trip to
other African, Asian, European and American
countries had to suffer the agony of
traveling to either Port Harcourt, Lagos,
Abuja or Kano not out of choice but
compulsion, to catch a flight. President
Jonathan lamented this much at the same
occasion when he stated thus:
”There was a very good reason for the
decision to confer international status on
this airport. As I am sure you all know,
Enugu is the gateway to the South East
Region, the home of entrepreneurship in
Nigeria. With such a large number of
enterprising people with a huge propensity to
travel both within and outside the country
pursuing various business interests, people of
this region have always had to travel first,
either to Lagos, Port Harcourt, Abuja or
Kano in order to be able to travel out of the
country on business trips.
” As business people, speed and time are of
the essence. Thus the ability to travel
directly to your destination abroad or as
directly from your base as possible, increases
the speed of your transactions by reducing
the time you spend traveling to and from
there. The same applies to goods procured
abroad and air-freighted into the country
for business purposes. The more directly
imported goods can be air-freighted to the
region for its businessmen and women, the
faster their goods and products can get to
the market”.
The President could not have said it more
succinctly. Interestingly, all this lamentation
and agony is over. Ethiopian airlines, taking
full advantage of world-class infrastructure
at the airport, has banished all that agony
and misery to the trash can of history as a
whole new experience unfolds.
For a people known for their industry and
enterprise, the opportunities which this
international airport offer for the socio-
economic development of the region are huge
and boundless. With a large population of
international businessmen and entrepreneurs,
the zone could not have asked for anything
better.
Gone are the days when businessmen from the
zone would endlessly agonize how; having
cargoed or ferried their goods from far-
flung parts of the globe to either Lagos or
Abuja, would face the fresh Herculean task
of clearing and moving them, mostly by road
to the South East.
Additional expense had been incurred, goods
and lives even lost in this highly perilous
journey from Lagos and Abuja to the east.
With Ethiopian airlines now offering direct
international flights from Enugu to almost
any destination in the globe, the world is
truly in the pocket of the South East. A new
dawn is here. The world has in fact come to
the east!
That is not all, neither is it even scratching
the surface. The multiplier effect of the
value chain that would be created as
businesses spring up in and around the
airport and the city of Enugu beats every
imagination. The commercial offerings would
not only boost the economy of the zone but
also create thousands of jobs. The hospitality
industry in the area is sure to witness a
resurgence and boom.
Commerce, which is the major preoccupation
of the peoples of this zone would begin to
boom as the Onitsha and Ariaria
International market, Aba begin to play host
not only to the local folks, but also to a
wider international business community. This
is also not talking about the huge
opportunity for easy export of manufactured
and agricultural goods.
The local manufacturer in the remotest part
of Aba and Nnewi and the rural farmer in
Arochukwu would be exposed to the
international markets as flights take off and
land in Enugu from all corners of the globe.
The possibilities are indeed endless, with the
airport amongst the 13 also designated as
perishable cargo airports in the country.
The vision of Mr President could not have
seen the light of day without the drive and
boundless energy of the Minister, Princess
Stella Adaeze Oduah.
Under her watch, the entire aviation sector
in Nigeria has been transformed from the
once neglected, rustic and decrepit landscape
to sprawling, edifying and dignifying
architectural show-pieces that compare
favourably with airport terminals anywhere
in the world. But as Oduah has consistently
maintained, what we are witnessing today in
Enugu is just the beginning; more and more
landmarks are underway. From what we have
seen so far, we have no reason to doubt her.
For Ethiopian airlines that placed the bet on
Akanu Ibiam International airport, Enugu,
we can only wish it to fly higher. Surely, it
won’t be long before other international
airlines followed the Ethiopian example. For
now, we cannot but agree with Mr President
that the South East region is indeed “Open to
the world for Business”.
Joe Obi, SA (Media) to the Hon. Minister of
aviation
source: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/08/jonathan-promise-fulfilled-as-historic-international-flight-lands-in-enugu/

GEJ cari go. ..! #freshair# till 2019

Which promise is fulfilled? Where is the Second Niger Bridge? I dey laugh oh!

Nice one Gej, but try to do something about unemployment, biko. Inugo?

God bless the Wonderful peace loving easy going people of Igboland for waiting patiently for this day...no b by garagara.
God bless EziAda. Princess Oduah
God Mr president
God Bless Nigeria.

GEJ for 2015 let the Transformation Continue.

Bliss4Lyfe: Which promise is fulfilled? Where is the Second Niger Bridge? I dey laugh oh!

Keep laughing your stupid laugh.

i_laugh:

Keep laughing your stupid laugh.

I know ur other moniker, so back off.

Bliss4Lyfe: Which promise is fulfilled? Where is the Second Niger Bridge? I dey laugh oh!

Hello!!! Be realistic, d construction began few months ago. so its too early 2 cry ok. By God's grace it will be completed b4 d expiration of oga jona tenure in 2015. GEJ is workin...haterz are talkin

Good news all over, Nigeria the sleeping giant of africa has finally awakened. The good change is happening all over. Our airports, roads, railway, industries, power, and agriculture are all taking shape. Today is the beginning of better things to come. God bless GEJ, God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Bliss4Lyfe:

I know ur other moniker, so back off.

Who cares if you do?