Imo North: Sen Frank Ibezim thanks constituents, supporters
Lawmaker makes case for Imo airport, calls for facilities upgrade
Anthony Iwuoma
The lack of befitting facilities at the Sam Mbakwe Cargo Airport, Owerri, has attracted the attention of the senator, representing Imo North in the National Assembly, Chukwuma Frank Ibezim.
The senator, who was on a recent oversight visit of the combined team of the Senate and House of Representatives Committees on Aviation to aviation agencies in Lagos, frowned at the neglect of the Sam Mbakwe Cargo Airport in Owerri, Imo State by those responsible for aviation matters in the country.
Ibezim noted the failure of aviation authorities to provide facilities befitting the current status of the airport, which ranks fourth in the country in terms of passenger traffic and revenue generation, and wondered why things are the way they are.
He urged the authorities to address the deficit at the airport without any further delay.
He asked the Managing Director of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, (NAMA), Mr. Mathew Pwajok why the Sam Mbakwe Cargo Airport should not have Category Two Instrument Landing System, ILS, despite the fact that it ranks fourth in terms of passenger traffic and revenue generation.
The Owerri Airport currently operates on Category One ILS, which restricts aircraft take-off and landing to 800 metres visibility, hence causing unnecessary flight delays.
The installation of Category Two lLS, if effected, would reduce the airport weather minimal to 300 metres as against 800 metres minimal visibility, which applies at the moment.
“My people are suffering undue delays and flight cancellations, as a result of this weather challenge and it’s affecting businesses in the South East,” Senator Ibezim lamented, urging the relevant agencies to urgently address the matter.
The NAMA boss and his Nigeria Civil Aviation counterpart, Captain Musa Nuhu, assured that plans were in progress to upgrade the facilities at the airport because of the volume of traffic to Owerri.
They, however, stressed that the plans were being hampered by a paucity of funds occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic. They stressed that the problem would be tackled as soon as the revenues improve.
Captain Nuhu further said: “For Category Two ILS, which is to be provided by NAMA to function efficiently, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) must install a corresponding airfield lighting system and all these cost a lot of money.”
However, he noted that the airport deserves Category Two ILS because of the volume of aircraft and passenger movements currently being recorded at Owerri Airport and promised it must be installed soon.
