Since its launch in December 2021, the Chinua Achebe International Airport in Umueri, Anambra, has successfully handled 400,000 passengers and facilitated 7,000 flights, marking significant milestones in its operations over the past three years.
According to brandeconomy.com.ng, Mr Martins Nwafor, Managing Director of the airport, said this on Tuesday while playing host to Dr Law Mefor, Commissioner for Information in Anambra.
BRANDECONOMY reports that Nwafor, while taking the Commissioner and his team on a tour of the facility, said only two commercial airlines were using the airport at present, but that talks were on to bring more airlines on board.
According to him, operations are largely during the daytime but airfield lighting system are being installed to make it possible for night flight operations at the airport.
He said the airport had the best runway in Nigeria with a total distance of 3.7 kilometres, second longest in Nigeria with 45 metres width, which is the capacity for Boeing 748-800 series airbus.
“We have well calibrated Instrument Landing System including localizer and glide slope and very high frequency omnidirectional radio range; these give the direction and bearing to flights”.
He said: “When the lighting system are completed and approved, the volume of traffic will witness a significant increase as aeroplanes would be able to land and takeoff after sunset.
“We have been able to move about 400,000 passengers in 7,000 flights and we hope that we will do better when the lights come up because there are some people who would like to fly late in the evening.
“Our Departure Hall can take about 400 passengers. Our Arrival Hall can take about 600 passengers at a time, with ICAO facilitation standard while our car park can take about 750 cars even though we don’t see the cars,” he said.
Nwafor said the Chinua Achebe Airport was planning an Airport Trade Fair which would start from Dec. 1 and end on Dec. 7, which would be the third anniversary of commercial operations at the airport.
He said the fair would be an opportunity for flight operators, passengers and the general public to showcase their products and interact for economic and social benefits.
He said the anniversary would mark the unveiling of the airport name which came into existence on Oct. 1, 2023 and also the erection of a statue of Chinua Achebe, the world renowned literary icon.
In his response, Mefor said the airport was a priority project to Gov. Chukwuma Soludo as it was pivotal to his agenda of industrialisation and tourism development of the state.
He said Soludo had given approval for the construction of a VIP Lounge within the airport and that he had already awarded contract for airfield lighting system.
He said the Anambra Mixed Use industrial City was all about economic and industrial unraveling of the state and the airport was crucial to the actualisation of the objectives of government.
“The Prof. Chukwuma Soludo administration recognises that the airport is an enabler to economic transformation and that is why he is giving Chinua Achebe Airport this level of attention.
“Between now and next year, so much will happen in this airport.
“We need to understand and key into the vision of Soludo. Anambra is rising, a new Anambra is emerging under this exceptional and transformational leadership which is focused on the future,” he said.
