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By Tracy Moses
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo has described the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Airport, Minna, as the new alternative to the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
Keyamo stated this on Thursday during the inaugural flight ceremony of Overland Airways at the Minna Airport, which was attended by the Governor of Niger State, Governor Umar Bago.
A statement released by the Minister’s Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Tunde Moshood, described the event as a milestone for regional aviation and economic growth in the North Central region of Nigeria.
The Minister noted that the Minna Airport has the capacity to accommodate large aircraft, including a 747 and a Triple Seven, thanks to its international-standard runway.
He expressed surprise at the airport’s underutilization over the years, declaring, “Our eyes are on this airport.”
He called on the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to take note of the development.
Top officials who accompanied the Minister included the Director General of the NCAA, Capt. Chris Najomo, the Managing Director of FAAN, Mrs. Olubunmi Kuku (represented by Dr. Emiola Olatunbosun Luqman), and several other key figures from the Ministry of Aviation and related institutions.
The event also saw the participation of Minister of Information, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, Minister of State for Agriculture, Dr. Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, and the Chairman of the House Committee on Aviation, Rt. Hon. Abubakar Yahaya Kusada, alongside former governors of Niger State.
In his remarks, the Secretary to the Niger State Government, Abubakar Usman commended Governor Umar Bago’s leadership, calling him the “new architect of Niger State.”
Overland Airways’ Managing Director, Capt. Edward Boyo, commended Governor Bago’s vision, even as he announced the launch of three weekly flights connecting Minna to Lagos and Abuja, with plans for future international connectivity.