•Aviation Village, Akwa Ibom State
•Governor Umo Eno
ANIETIE USEN, TONY UDOH & DAN ETOKIDEM, Uyo, reporting
As part of the Aviation Hub in Akwa Ibom State, which includes the new digital International Wing, the MRO and Ibom Air, the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Pastor Umo Eno, on Monday, November 18, 2024, flagged off the construction of a multi billion naira Aviation Village near the Victor Attah International Airport, VAIA, Uyo.
The idea of the Aviation Village is to provide a decent residential estate to workers in the Aviation Hub, who are daily coping with long distance journey to the airport which is in the outskirts of Uyo, the capital of Akwa Ibom State.
The Aviation Village sits on 15.072 hectares of land, with 62 two- bedroom flats, 55 three- bedroom flats, and is designed for 12 state and federal agencies in the Aviation ecosystem. The Agencies are Ibom Airport Development Company Limited, IADC; Ibom Air, the MRO, Nigerian Aviation Handling Company, NAHCO, Nigerian Meteorological Agency, NiMet, Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS, and other saundry Aviation workers.
Speaking at the official flag off, the governor said the Aviation Village is aimed at increasing the operational effectiveness and efficiency of all aviation workers who have direct responsibilities for sensitive duties in the airport. He said that without the housing estate, the dream of making the state an aviation hub would be practically impossible.
“We cannot run an international terminal without making adequate provision for the homes of airport staff…We are therefore here to once again reaffirm and demonstrate in practical terms our determination to make Akwa Ibom State the Aviation Hub in the Gulf of Guinea”, the governor said.
According to the governor, after his inauguration in May 29, 2023, he paid a working visit to Ibom Air, and during that visit, he re-emphasised his campaign promise to fulfil all the obligations to the airline and to complete the project initiated by past Administrations such as the MRO, the Taxi Way and the International Terminal Building.
“Sixteen months after, we have kept that promise. As of today, we have received four additional aircraft into the Ibom Air fleet, including two A220-300 Airbus series and two brand new CRJ900 Bombadia aircraft. The latest was fully paid for by the state government, bringing the total number of aircraft in Ibom Air fleet to nine.
“We are still looking up to adding more and ensuring that the airline remains viable in the aviation industry. Today, the place of Ibom Air as the nation’s most preferred airline has been strengthened. Ibom air is on track for further growth and expansion, and it is opening up Akwa Ibom as a destination of choice,” the governor said.
He disclosed plans for flag off of other projects including the elderly peoples home, a medical village with doctor’s quarters, adding that he is committed to making the Ibom Specialist Hospital what it was designed to be.
While the Commissioner of Housing, Otuekong Raphael Bassey, provided the detailed breakdown of the complex, the CEO of Ibom Air, Captain Mfon Udom, and the Chairman of Ibom Airport Development Company Limited, Dr. Iniobong Essien commended the governor for the project and the numerous investments in the aviation sector, describing the governor as the most aviation friendly governor in Nigeria.
