Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) says it will partner Enugu state Government in it’s determination to grow the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the state from the present $4.4billion to $30 Billion .
Pix: Gov Mbah(m) Mrs Agunbiade(6th R)
Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, FAAN, Mrs Olubunmi Kuku made this known on Wednesday , when she led the management team of FAAN on a courtesy visit to the Governor of Enugu state ,Dr. Peter Mbah in his office in Government House,Enugu.
Pix: : Gov Mbah(L) Mrs Agunbiade
Represented by the Director of Business Development, FAAN, Mrs Adebola Agunbiade, Kuku said the partnership will serve the airport needs of the South East in a manner that will catalyze the business potentials of Ndi Igbo, increase wealth creation within the zone, reduce the incidence of poverty,and enhance the GDP of the state within the geo-political zone
Pix: The meeting
Kuku stressed that airports are engine of economic growth and 1% of state budgetary allocation spent on an airport has the ability to triple the GDP of the state. She commended Enugu state Government ‘s decision to partner with FAAN in providing critical infrastructure that will enhance the ability of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, in providing seamless operations in cargo, domestic and international passengers” transportation.
“We at FAAN, working hand in hand with the ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development are open for mutually beneficial discussions that will solidify the relationship”, she said.
Kuku disclosed that FAAN will in three weeks time, sign a Memorandum of Understanding ( MoU) with Enugu state Government for the immediate implementation of projects envisaged by the state government .
Responding Gov Mbah expressed the hope that the discussion with the agreement committee that will sit and discuss the terms of the partnership will be of mutual benefit. He said Enugu state is open for business and the mission statement of his administration “is to make Enugu state a preferred destination for investment, business, tourism”, adding that they had proposed to build an economy of the state from the current $4.4 billion to $30 billion in the next 4 to 8 years
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We understand that if this exponential growth will happen, it has to come from the private sector . So, we as government, has to enable that .So, we need to provide an environment that will make it attractive for private sector to come and invest and part of it will be services. In our plan for tourism, we projected to have over 3million visitors coming into Enugu every year from next year.When we compute the number in terms of logistics, we will be expecting over hundred flights into Enugu on a daily basis.
“Pix: Gov Mbah in a handshake with Agunbiade
” We need to work closely. We need to collaborate. We are going to work with you We are not going to be neutral about what is happening at the Airport.. We are going to work with you to operationalize the international wing of the airport. We are also interested in constructing the Cargo terminal and warehouse. We have the green light to go ahead and build the Cargo terminal “, he said
The Governor said the state government has an understanding with the Nigerian Air Force regarding where they will build their barracks.
Commissioner for transport, Dr. Obi Ozor woll will head the Committee.
Author: Maureen Ikpeama