… 2 weeks after Receiving A new Airbus
By Bassey Nkponam
UYO
Barely two weeks after receiving a new Airbus A220-300 to increase the fleet of Ibom Air, the Akwa Ibom government is set to increase the State-owned airline’s fleet again with two Bombardier CRJ aircrafts to meet the rising demands by the traveling public in the State and country.
Already, approval for the immediate acquisition of the two new aircrafts was given by the State governor, Pastor Umo Eno, on Saturday during the State Executive Council meeting presided over by him at the Executive Council Chambers, Government House, Uyo, to aid plans by Ibom Air to immediately increase its fleet of aircraft to consolidate its leadership position as the current leading airline in Nigeria.
The commissioner for culture and tourism, Sir Charles Udoh, who stated this, Saturday, while briefing Government House correspondents, shortly after the meeting, said the governor’s approval was to enable the Airline meet demands by travelers and to also reinforce Ibom Air’s leadership in the country’s aviation industry.
Udoh said the two additional CRJ aircraft, like the recently received Airbus 220-300, will not be part of the previously ordered 10 Airbuses, out of which one had been delivered, while nine are still pending.
He explained that the need for the two new CRJs was to expand the coverage of Ibom Air to some low traffic routes that require slimer, more economical aircrafts than those used in heavy traffic routes like Uyo-Abuja and Uyo-Lagos.
Udoh said the State EXCO, in acknowledgement of the brilliant performance of Ibom Air, expressed belief that the airline would not rest on its oars but would continue to do more to consolidate and maintain its leading position.
The commissioner furthered that the governor, having received briefing on the various Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in the State, restated his resolve to continuously live up to his electioneering campaign promises, in line with the ARISE Agenda, and so had directed the commissioner for works and fire service, Professor Eno Ibanga, to ensure all contractors get set to return to sites as the rains begin to recede.
Udoh said the governor had assured of government’s readiness to mobilise accordingly, in response to the Council’s opinion for the award of contracts for construction of new roads as part of efforts to boost economic growth through increased accessibility.
He said the EXCO had received briefing on plans by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism to increase in-bound foot fault into the state in the fourth quarter of the year, as well as briefing on preliminary plans for another December to remember in Akwa Ibom, featuring Christmas unplugged 2.0 and Christmas Carol season 17, which according to him, will be done through series of events commencing from the commemoration of the World Tourism Day 2024, set for this month.
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