Those kicking Against Establishment Of Chuba Okadigbo Airport Are Living In The Dark Age – Aviation Commissioner, Obichukwu

By Chijioke Njoku, Abakaliki

The commissioner for Aviation and transport technology, Mrs Ngozi Obichukwu has tasked those criticizing the establishment of the Chuba Okadigbo international Airport Onueke, to understand that the airport department is a catalyst to general development in every country.

Obichukwu emphasized that those who had wanted the airport not to be established by the government are enemies of the state and that they are still living in the dark age and illiteracy.

The Commissioner, Obichukwu made this known to newsmen at the Chuba Okadigbo airport Onueke, shortly after the takeoff of the 24th flight operations to Lagos and Abuja, on Monday.

She empathized that the Chuba Okadigbo airport Onueke, since its establishment by the previous administration and serious rehabilitation of its runway by governor Francis Nwifuru has restored Ebonyi State from backwardness and marginalization by other states in South East Nigeria.

Obichukwu, however attributed the rapid growth and development in the state, especially in terms of infrastructure and human capital development as a result of good governance and having leaders, who are experienced and have the fear of God in them.

According to her: “Airport is a catalyst to general development.whereever you keep it, development will start there rapidly. When we started entering Emene (Nnamdi Azikwe airport), in particular, in 1990, as at that time, Emene was bushy.A plot of land there now is more than 20 million naira. You take the airport to develop other places. Oweri was nothing,until that cargo airport was established.

“The same thing, in the next 15 years, Ebonyi State will thank God for this airport. Starting from the governor, I have said it, that the kind of governors that God blessed Ebonyi with, entrenched good governance, from the creation of Ebonyi till now, We have all had good governors since the creation of the state.

“Show the public, especially those who are doubting, that we had flight operations today being 27th January, 2025, and we’re talking off. This is making it the 24th flight,we have had since the inauguration of the runway. They should see that the Chuba Okadigbo international airport is really working. We have the license of operation.We are only following the regulation of the regulatory bodies.
“The FAN, the NCAA, the NIMET, the aerodrome and all the rest of them. We are following their regulations.In airports, we have so many bodies and so many regulatory bodies that will be directing you on what to do.
“It is not an ordinary market something.It is life. It is for safety.This apron has a weight to accommodate this. And the weight here is more than the weight at the runway. Because of the runway, the flight cannot park.
But, this is where we receive the flight.This is where it parks. So if you don’t have the measurement of the weight to accommodate the flight, they will not approve it.
“If you don’t have the runway put in place, nobody will approve it. And that’s why each of them that comes there will tell you that the runway is the best in the entire country. So I thank God for the government of Ebonyi State, both today and at the inception of Ebonyi State.

“We are trying to remove ourselves from the neglected sandwiching of evil marginalization, caused by the previous, you know, cause of being submerged under one big state.You have Enugu, you have Anambra, you have Imo, sandwiching Ebonyi.What will bring us to limelight is this airport.
“Without this airport,we will continue to think of backwardness.Before now, nobody is proud to say,I am from Ebonyi State.I am from Abakaliki.Because we were regarded as illiterates, indigents or people that are dejected, you know?People that have nothing to give.We are regarded as people that cannot even provide good livelihood.So this airport, I will keep on praising God because of it
“In the next 10 years, you will see what will happen,even in the next two years. So for how many flights have been recorded?I’m telling you that this one is number 24 since the inauguration of the- The wrong way. Yes.
“We are only calling for Ebonyians to book in with us. Very soon, I’ll bring out the artillery of United Airlines. They will start operations in Ebonyi, Lagos, and Abuja.
“Anybody that wants to join will now call us,we will tell them where to go and book.Until you do this, if you go to the air without the regulatory body’s approval, this place will be closed. So we are taking time to make sure that we don’t fault any regulatory directive.
“That is why it appears as if we are keeping quiet, we are not yet in the-You can’t upload until they give you the go-ahead. And by May, June, we’ll get the go-ahead.We are waiting for our operational manner, which is already being developed.
“Because the operational manner is not something you hurry up. We have surveyors. The surveyors, we are here. And the survey will take from Abakaliki town down to Edam.Whether there is obstruction,whether there are trees, mountains, hills, it will be recorded.They take it bit by bit.
“So whoever is telling you that the airport is a mistake is still living in a very old world of dejection.What do I call it? Illiteracy. Thank you” she stressed.