–Blank NEWS Online (NIGERIA)- By Editor
The news of Asaba Airport’s re-opening has been confirmed and contained in a statement signed by the Secretary to the Delta State Government, Chiedu Ebie and made available to Blank NEWS Online on Thursday, August 13 2020.
It reads:
“The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has approved the re-opening of the Asaba International Airport for commercial operations.
“The approval was conveyed to the Delta State Government following the inspection of Asaba International Airport last week by officials of the NCAA to ascertain the level of preparedness for its re-opening pursuant to the Federal Government’s lifting of the ban on local Air Travel.
“The NCAA in its letter conveying the approval stated that the Asaba International Airport had satisfactorily fulfilled the requirements of the COVID-19 restart guidelines and protocols and therefore had been granted the authorization to resume normal operations.
“We thank the management of the NCAA for their promptness and professionalism and assure air travellers using the Asaba Airport of the continued commitment of the Delta State Government to the provision of modern facilities for the effective and efficient operation of the Airport.”
It could be recalled that the SSG had a week earlier, on Thursday August 6, 2020 during an inspection conducted by the Airport’s Project Director, Mr. Austin Ayemidejor comprising the SSG, Commissioner for Information, Mr Charles Aniagwu, his counterpart in the Ministry of Finance, Sir Fidelis Tilije and the Chief of Staff, Government House, Chief David Edevbie; said the airport was fully set to host full flight operations.
He claimed the Asaba Airport was ready to resume flight operations, several months after it was shut down due to Coronavirus pandemic which paralysed business and socio-economic activities across the globe.
Ebie said that the state government had put necessary protocols in place at the airport for passenger compliance with COVID-19 injunctions given by Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) for aviation activities.
He explained that the inspection was to ascertain the level of preparation on the part of the management of the airport for full resumption of flight operations in the airport.
Ebie said that personnel of the airport had undergone training to enable them function optimally in line with the “new normal’’.
Meanwhile, when flight operations resumes, no fewer than six airlines, including Ibom Air, Azman and Arik Air, would be on the Asaba route.
Earlier, the Special Project Director of the airport, Mr Austin Ayemidejor, had said “steps have been taken to ensure that there is physical-distancing, compulsory wearing of face masks, washing of hands at the point of entry and temperature check”.
