The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has promised to partner with the concessionaires at Asaba Airport in a bid to make it more active.
The Special Adviser on Media and Communication to the minister, Tunde Moshood who disclosed this in a statement, said Keyamo made the promise on Wednesday in Abuja when he received the Asagba of Asaba, Professor Epiphany Azinge, in his office.
Keyamo, who expressed that Asaba Airport is strategically located with huge potential to contribute to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), insisted that the airport should be the Eastern hub of aviation in Nigeria and assured the royal father that discussions with airport concessionaires would be pursued to make the international status of Asaba Airport a reality.
The Aviation Minister, also proposed the idea of establishing partnerships with domestic and international airlines to facilitate interlining, thereby enabling passengers to easily connect from Asaba through transit to international destinations.
Keyamo, who also expressed his eagerness to engage with Delta’s talented youths involved in pilot training, pledged to meet with them and explore ways to incorporate their expertise into Nigeria’s aviation ecosystem, even if it involves forming partnerships or leveraging Public Private Partnership (PPP) models.
Keyamo further expressed apologies for not having been the first to visit the royal father, acknowledging that such a meeting had long been on his agenda.
The Asagba of Asaba, had earlier requested an increase in flight operations at Asaba Airport because of the status and importance of the city.
He also urged the minister to leverage his position to facilitate the growth of flight operations in Asaba, transforming it into an international airport capable of accommodating regular international flights, and serving as a transit hub for large aircraft staying overnight.
The Asagba of Asaba expressed his gratitude to Keyamo for his swift response, given his busy schedule.
Also, the royal father commended the minister for his transformative initiatives in the aviation sector, particularly for his role in the advancement of aviation infrastructure in Nigeria.
The royal father was accompanied by a distinguished delegation that included top political figures from Delta State, notably Honourable Ngozi Okolie Lawrence, the lawmaker representing Delta North at the House of Representatives and Dr. Ngozi Abuah-Olejeme, one of Delta’s most prominent female politicians.
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