Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State
C’River Cargo Airport in Obudu to be ready Q1, 2022, as govt clarifies status of Cally Air
[From ANIEKAN ANIEKAN, Calabar]
Cross River Government has disclosed that the Cargo Airport in Obudu will be officially commissioned in the first quarter of 2022 for flight handling operations.
This is also as the state government explained the status of the Cally Air project, saying the airline is yet to be certified for commercial operations by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) even as its aircraft continue to fly with the livery of the airline.
According to him, the Cally Air aircraft are operated by Aero Contractors as partners pending the expected certification.
Making these disclosures in Calabar, Monday, State Commissioner for Aviation, Jake Otu Enyia, said the state government is in the process of obtaining the Air Operators certificate (AOC) for the two Boeing 737 aircraft in the fleet of Cally Air, as he added that the engagement of Aero Contractors is aimed at ensuring the functionality of the planes and also generate income for the state.
“We purchased the aircraft and the law says you must have a minimum of two aircraft and obtain an AOC.
“We have already secured the aircrafts and our aircraft cannot continue to be on the ground in the airport because we are paying tax and demurrage daily.
“So for us to start generating money we have to use another airline that already has an AOC so we use them to operate our airline.
“So for now, our relationship with Aero Contractors is the fact that we engaged them as our operator and they are the Official Operators of Cally Air”, Jake said.
According to the commissioner, the AOC for Cally Air will be ready within six months and all the structures required for the successful operation of the airline is being put in place.
He added that Cally Air is a separate entity from the state government and the Cally Air Investment Ltd is the holding company to manage the airline as a business.
On the Cross River Cargo Airport in Obudu, he disclosed that the airport will be ready to receive flights and officially commissioned in the first quarter of 2022.
The airport, alongside Cally Air he said will enable the state government properly expand its economy and maximize the tourism potentials of the state.
