The Executive Governor of Akwa Ibom state, Mr Udom Emmanuel, Friday, congratulated the good people of the state as Ibom Airline commenced its maiden commercial flight from the Victor International Airport to Lagos after over four months of its inauguration.
The governor spoke through his deputy, Mr Moses Ekpo, at a brief ceremony to mark the maiden commercial flight.
Governor Emmanuel described the breakthrough as a feat of historic proportions.
He said: “the occasion is a watershed moment for us as a people. Never in the history of this nation or indeed anywhere else in Africa that I can recall, has a State Government gone into airline operations. Akwa Ibom State is therefore, the first to achieve this, and we should all collectively give ourselves a pat on the back.”
Emmanuel who expressed appreciation to God for the achievement said, “the launch of this maiden flight by Ibom Air is a testament to the vision of rapid industrialization based on the three gateways: Land, Sea and Air that I have been emphasizing.
“The massive and interlocking over 1,700 kilometers network of roads which are either already commissioned or currently on-going, the Ibom Deep Seaport project also currently on-going and now, the launch of Ibom Air commercial airline operations will open our State to endless opportunities.
“Investors will continue to flock into our State, given the ease of traveling the launch of this airline will engender; the peace we enjoy and the hospitality of our people. We are all winners in this,” he said.
The governor commended the immediate past Honourable Commissioner for Special Duties and Aviation Development, Akan Okon and the entire Staff and Management of Ibom Air ably led by Captain Mfon Udom for the painstaking and professional manner they went about securing all the certifications for the commencement of this operations.
