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Rep tasks FG on re-opening Enugu International Airport, others to international flights
By Emmanuel Awosika
A member of the House of Representatives, Mr Toby Okechukwu, has asked the Federal Government to reopen the Akanu Ibiam International Airports and other airports in the country to international flights.
Okechukwu, Deputy Minority Leader in the House, in a statement issued on Sunday, said re-opening the airports was necessary as Nigerians in the diaspora would be returning to the country to celebrate the Yuletide season.
According to the statement, titled ‘Reopen Enugu Airport, Others to International Flights, Reps Deputy Minority (Leader) Tells FG’, passengers faced higher risk when subjected to incessant stopovers during a pandemic than when on direct flights.
He added that it was not economically viable to keep the Akanu Ibiam International Airport closed with the money spent on upgrading it, particularly after Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, declared it fully equipped for international flights.
He stated: “The Christmas and New Year season is the period our international airports are most socially and economically relevant to both Nigerians at home and in the diaspora. The opportunity costs of keeping these airports shut from international operations can be quite high, ranging from a higher risk of contracting COVID-19 through multiple stopovers to the issues of more man-hours, security risks, and auto crashes associated with compelling more people than necessary to travel by road.”
He added that the Presidential Taskforce on COVID-19 could work with the NCAA and other stakeholders to ensure safe resumption of international operations at the airports.
“There are no peculiar health risks peculiar that should warrant the continued restriction of any international air facility from full operations at this time.
“The PTF and Ministry of Aviation should, therefore, do all that is necessary to ensure that this is achieved so that Nigerians will not have to suffer unnecessarily. Enough provisions have also been made in the budget. And, in any case, they can always approach the parliament should they need more support, as we are always ready to assist,” he said.
