Imo cargo airport ready for commissioning —Okorocha

Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State has told Sadiku Rafindadi, Director of Commercial and Development, Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) that Imo State cargo airport was ready for commissioning.

Okorocha said this, yesterday, when Rafindadi visited him at the Government House in Owerri, adding that the cargo airport which will be commissioned second week of May, would connect Imo to the outside world.

In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Sam Onwuemeodo, Okorocha said: “The Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport is ready and will be commissioned in the second week of May. I want to thank the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces for giving us the permission to build this international tarmac for the take-off of the International Cargo Airport.

“The airport will enable goods to come from all parts of the world into Imo State and will equally help us take our agricultural produce from this country to the rest of the world.

“When fully commissioned, it will increase and improve the commercial and economic activities of the people here. This is the biggest cargo airport in Nigeria and I am happy you have confirmed it. We are very happy to hand over this legacy to the incoming government and our generation yet unborn.

“Imo State government will extend the existing runway as you requested to enable the boeing 737 and other big cargo aircraft to land safely.”

Okorocha further noted that most of the big importers in Nigeria come from the South-East, adding that the cargo airport would help them in their businesses in no small measure.

“We are happy that this project has become a reality and we are hoping that in the next 10 days, this project will be commissioned for public use.

“As for today, the most important thing is that cargo planes can land and take-off from Imo and this gladdens our hearts. The International Cargo Airport is a Federal Government project, fully sponsored by Imo State government with the kind permission of the Presidency,” the governor hinted.

Earlier, Rafindadi said: “We thank you for your vision and leadership to construct an International Cargo Airport for your people. You started it from day one and thank God that today, it is now completed and ready for commission.

“We have come to thank you for this vision and to tell you that this is not only for the people of Imo State but for the whole Nigeria. This project will bring a lot of revenue to FAAN, Imo State government and Nigeria as a whole.”