Epiphany Azinge (left), Asagba of Asaba, and Festus Keyamo (right), minister of aviation and aerospace development, after a meeting in Abuja recently
Sade Williams/Business a.m.
A strong lobby led by Epiphany Azinge, a traditional ruler and academic professor in Delta State has gone out to Festus Keyamo, minister of aviation and aerospace development, to upgrade Asaba Airport for international flights.
Azinge, who holds the title of Asagba of Asaba, specifically called for the enhancement of the aviation landscape in Asaba and Delta State at large by increasing flight operations at Asaba Airport, due to the status and importance of the city, urging Keyamo to leverage his position to facilitate the growth of flight operations in Asaba in transforming it into an international airport.
According to him, the airport is capable of accommodating regular international flights, and serving as a transit hub for large aircraft staying overnight.
He highlighted the growing pool of talented, veteran pilots among Delta’s youth, many of whom have developed pilot training programmes.
The traditional ruler requested Keyamo’s intervention in supporting these youths through government channels, including the possibility of public-private partnerships (PPP) to help realize their dreams of advancing their training and becoming professional pilots.
Azinge met the minister in Abuja recently, and strongly made the case for his position, commending Minister Keyamo for his transformative initiatives in the aviation sector, particularly for his role in the advancement of aviation infrastructure in Nigeria, according to a statement by Tunde Moshood, special adviser on media and communication to the minister.
Keyamo had apologised to the monarch for not having been the first to visit him, acknowledging that such a meeting had long been on his agenda.
The minister reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring the Asagba’s requests are prioritised and met, emphasizing that as a proud Delta son and cabinet member, he would personally oversee the progress of all matters raised during the meeting with the president.
On the specific issue of Asaba Airport, Keyamo acknowledged the strategic location and potential of the airport, agreeing that it should become the Eastern hub of aviation in Nigeria.
He assured the royal father that discussions with airport concessionaires would be pursued to make the international status of Asaba Airport a reality. Additionally, Keyamo proposed the idea of establishing partnerships with domestic and international airlines to facilitate interlining, thus enabling passengers to easily connect from Asaba through transit to international destinations.
He expressed eagerness to engage with Delta’s talented youths involved in pilot training, pledging to meet with them and explore ways to incorporate their expertise into Nigeria’s aviation ecosystem, even if it involves forming partnerships or leveraging PPP models.
