Ebonyi secures licence to operate own airline
By Amarachi Ehia
The Ebonyi State Government has announced that it has secured the licence required to operate its own airline, affirming that Ebonyi Air is real and already on ground.
The Commissioner for Aviation and Transport Technology, Mrs. Ngozi Obichukwu, made the disclosure on Monday while briefing journalists shortly after the departure of 90 Ebonyi State scholarship beneficiaries to Europe at the Chuba Okadigbo International Airport, Onueke.
Obichukwu said the achievement reflects Governor Francis Nwifuru’s commitment to human capital development, describing the governor as a compassionate leader who prioritizes people-centered growth.
“My joy goes to the fact that His Excellency is a humanitarian and empathy-filled governor. If you develop infrastructure without developing human beings, those things will eventually crumble,” she said.
She explained that the overseas scholarship programme was designed to reposition Ebonyi State intellectually and economically, noting that the state had previously been tagged as backward and illiterate.
“When these young people go outside the country to better themselves, Ebonyi will be better off. Before now, many people did not want to identify with Ebonyi. But in the last three years, His Excellency has shifted us from that position of backwardness. Today, we are moving ahead of some states that were previously ahead of us,” she stated.
Speaking on aviation infrastructure, the commissioner emphasized that aviation operations are safety-driven, stressing that the state has invested heavily to meet global aviation safety standards.
She disclosed that the permanent control tower at the airport had been completed, replacing the mobile tower that had been in use for more than five years.
“About three days ago, we completed the permanent control tower. It is a nine-storey building now equipped with an elevator, making access from the ground to the top seamless,” Obichukwu said.
She added that the airport is now fitted with modern runway lighting, enabling night operations.
“Once the runway lights are on, pilots can clearly see their way. This is one of the most critical facilities many airports still lack,” she noted.
Obichukwu further confirmed that the airport has been fully licensed for flight operations, including commercial services.
“We now have the licence for every flight operation. Ebonyi Air is real, and Ebonyi Air is on ground,” she declared.
She clarified that the aircraft is not currently stationed in Ebonyi due to the absence of hangar facilities in the state.
“The aircraft cannot park here because we do not yet have hangars. Hangars are currently available in Lagos and Abuja. Aviation is not something you rush; there are procedures and documentation that must be completed,” she explained.
According to her, once all regulatory documentation is finalized, full operations will commence as promised by the governor.
“You will see cargo flights, commercial flights, domestic and international flights operating here by the grace of God,” she assured.
In his remarks, a philanthropist, Chief Christian Asaga Nwali, commended Governor Nwifuru for what he described as a visionary initiative that would place Ebonyi State on the global map of educational and infrastructural advancement.
He also called on other well-meaning individuals in the state to support vulnerable children by sponsoring school fees and external examinations such as WAEC, JAMB, and NECO, noting that such interventions could determine whether disadvantaged students gain access to education.
