Michael Onwuka, Enugu
The National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) has raised concern over the infrastructural deficiencies in Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu.
The Chairman of NAGAFF in Enugu State, Mr Raymond Okonkwo disclosed this on Friday in an interview with Ikengaonline in Enugu.
Okonkwo said the non-completion of the terminal building in the international wing of the facility had limited the capacity of the airport as well as limited the business potential of the area.
He called on the Federal Government to deliver the project without further delay in order to get the international wing functional.
He said that it was unacceptable that after the inauguration of the airport, the international wing still operated under emergency situation, whereby, an international operator was given one-room office in the local terminal building.
“The airport has a new terminal building for international flights but it is locked up and not functional.
“As a result of this, the only international airline operating in the facility is using one-room office in the old refurbished local terminal building and they are just managing to exist in that space,” he said.
He said that local transactions were made separate from international transactions in such airports.
“If you watched what happened during the Yuletide at the facility, it was chaotic because there was no room for the international airline to operate.
“I believe this is why other international airlines have not resumed operations in Enugu. They express their interest to come to Enugu but the infrastructural deficiency discourages them,” he said.
Okonkwo said that the prevailing situation was seriously affecting their activities.
He said that efforts needed to be made to upgrade the facilities in order to attract other airlines other than the Ethiopian Airlines in the facility.
“We currently have only a straight line which is the one that Ethiopian Airlines uses and it is affecting us because their route is limited.
“Assuming we have three international airlines, the route that Ethiopian Airlines does not cover, others can cover them.
“If we have functional international terminal building, you will see other airlines who are interested in the business that this region does operating from the airport,” Okonkwo said.
