The chairman and managing director of Air Peace, Mr. Allen Onyema has commended the federal government for shutting the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu for repairs.
This followed a notice issued by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to “airlines, passengers and all other stakeholders that effective 00:00 on 24th August, 2019, the runway at Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu will be closed for major repairs and works on the airfield.”
FAAN said the move “is aimed at resolving the existing safety/security concerns to flight operations” adding that a date to reopen the runway will be communicated in due course.
In his reaction, Onyema said in a signed statement issued in Lagos on Saturday that the state of runway at the airport “has given us serious concerns” and urged the federal government to “put everything in place, within the period of the closure, that would make the airport rank among the best international airports in the country.”
He also urged the government to “make the airport a 24-hour flight operations airport by improving the night landing infrastructure.”
Here is the full statement
“The management and staff of Air Peace wish to commend the FG for the decision to close the Enugu international Airport in order to allow a proper repair and maintenance of the airports runway which has given us serious safety concerns.
“For the avoidance of doubt, Air Peace is fully and totally in support of this decision. Though the decision will affect the traveling public and, of course, the airline, we place the safety of the flying public, our crew and equipment above any commercial benefits.
“The government should go all out to put everything in place, within the period of the closure, that would make the airport rank among the best international airports in the country. We plead with the federal government to make the airport a 24-hour flight operations airport by improving the night landing infrastructure.
“We will not fail to thank the federal government for the appointment of Capt. Yadudu as the managing director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN). His appointment is a testimony to the federal government’s resolve to put result driven persons at the helm of its agencies. Air Peace is not alone in this thought. Since his coming, airlines have started enjoying the services that would definitely improve the standards in the industry.
“We thank President Mohammadu Buhari for his resolve to attend to the infrastructural decay in the industry.”
Allen Onyema
Chairman/CEO, Air Peace Limited