The site manager of the Ebonyi State International Cargo Airport, Engr. Frank Ngwu, yesterday said the airport was ready for flight operations and would commence test flight in seven days.
Engr. Ngwu who is also the special assistant to Governor David Umahi on infrastructure development, said; “As you can see, we are here at the runway, and you can see the level of the marking of the runway. We can say that 95 percent of the runway has been marked and it will be concluded in the next three days.
“The level of infrastructure that has been put in this place, you will be amazed at the level of modern equipment here, they were all made in Europe and the best and latest equipment in the aviation industry.”
He said the terminal building is the single largest terminal building in Nigeria, adding that the apron is also the single biggest in Nigeria with 133,000 square metres.
“The international wing is 60,000 square metres, the domestic wing apron is 60,000 square metres. Everything has been put in place like the Emergency Operation Centre (EOC), the police post and immigration office has been fully completed. other buildings within the airport like substations, halls and the switch rooms are all completed. The metrology equipment both those within and outside the airport have been installed.
“I really commend the vision bearer of this project which is being constructed to be the best and biggest in Africa and sub-Saharan Africa. Governor David Umahi has a big heart. His quest for speedy development of his state and people as demonstrated here and around us is unprecedented.
“There are a lot of things that are to be justified above others in the Ebonyi International Cargo Airport such as; our runway is the only rigid concrete runway in Nigeria, the thickness is 65cm, what it means is that even the biggest cargo aircraft can land here. There is this big cargo aircraft that has only landed in Nigeria once and it was banned from landing in Nigeria because it destroys the runways in the country which are on flexible pavement.
“With what is in the airport, we have here in terms of the size, and strength of our runway we can receive the biggest aircraft in the world,” he said.
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