Victor Attah International Airport has moved closer to achieving its target of commencing international flight operations with the arrival of two Passenger Boarding Bridges (PBBs) at the new smart terminal building.
The two extra-long bridges, transported at a regulated speed of about 25 km/h, arrived at the airport by midday on Monday, three days after departing from Onne Port in Rivers State.
Lighter components of the bridges, which left on Friday evening, had earlier arrived on Saturday, as the Akwa Ibom State Government’s aviation development plan gathers momentum.
Top government officials were on ground to witness the arrival of the equipment, including the Commissioner for Finance and Special Duties, Mr. Emem Bob; the Chairman of VKS Construction Ltd, Engr. Oliver Ebong; and the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Research and Documentation, Dr. Essien Ndueso.
Speaking at the airport, Emem Bob said Governor Umo Eno is committed to delivering an efficient, world-class airport and ensuring the facility becomes fully operational by the first week of April.
He commended the governor’s sustained efforts to finalize operations at the airport and position Akwa Ibom State as a regional and international aviation hub.
“Our governor is renowned for completing projects, and he is demonstrating that commitment with the completion of this airport. The project is fully funded by the state government, and no loans have been taken for the projects being executed across the state,” he said.
Also speaking, Engr. Oliver Ebong expressed excitement over the safe arrival of the components, noting that VKS Construction Ltd is honoured to be entrusted with such an ambitious project by the Akwa Ibom State Government.
He assured that the terminal would be fully ready for use by the end of March, ahead of the April deadline for international flight operations.
While conducting journalists around the terminal building, Ebong described the facility as the first of its kind in the country, equipped with advanced ICT infrastructure, reliable power supply, and modern security technology.
“Some of the equipment have never been brought into the country before, which made proper labelling during transit challenging. However, we are pleased that they have arrived safely,” he added.
