PH Mundial – Port Harcourt Online Newspaper News across the Niger Delta
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The governor of Bayelsa State, Hon Seriake Dickson, is committed to the completion of the state’s cargo airport. This is according to the state commissioner of Information, Iworiso Markson.
Iworiso Markson, who spoke with our correspondent in Port Harcourt recently, said the Bayelsa Airport will have one of the best runways.
He said “The state government is currently working to see that the cargo airport dream comes to light. The government is working with the Federal Ministry of Aviation to develop the international passenger and cargo airport, which is now under construction.
“The state government’s contribution to the development of the airport is over 24billion Naira. It is a mega project; a lot of sand-filling has been done. The Federal Government has the responsibility of putting up the terminal building. The Federal Executive Council has awarded the contract and construction of the terminal building.
“We hope that, God willing, the new airport should be ready very soon. It is not a military airfield, but the idea the Airforce has just come up with, of having a smaller airstrip within the metropolis that will serve military purposes and also be open for limited civilian flights, is wonderful,” he said.
Markson said “we are also thinking of a city airport within Yenagoa, having Yenagoa opened up to the investing world from within and outside. We are concerned about a situation where people will land within the state capital and within the city centre, transact their business and possibly get back to their various destinations.”
He said that the runway of the Bayelsa International Airport under construction will be 3.4 kilometers long, while dredging, as well as sand-filling had reached advanced stage, making solid ground out of water. “Dredging continues as this landmark project is ably piloted by Dantata and Sawoe’s project manager, Ralf Fletkau, terminal building of the Bayelsa International Cargo Airport is by Chinese Firm CCECC. Silently an airport of international standard, as promised by Gov Dickson, begins to be realized,” he said.
Markson noted that the completion of the cargo airport would bring great benefits, especially in terms of job creation, that will go beyond Bayelsa State, Niger Delta and even to the entire nation.
“Its capacity in job generation is what one cannot imagine, and is more so now that the government is beginning to diversify the economy. It will be good for the federal government to continue in the building of the terminal and to take full charge of other responsibilities that are necessary for a speedy conclusion of the airport. In so doing, it will go a long way in solving some of the unemployment crisis that the people are facing,” he said.
