Five airlines set to commence operations at Enugu International Airport

Chairman of the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc (NAHCO Aviance); Suleman Yahyah has disclosed that five International Airlines have indicated interest to commence operation at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport Enugu.

NAHCO also announced its plans to cause the freight of N60bn worth of cargo regularly to Enugu and other states in the South East zone of the country through the Akanu Ibiam International Airport

Yahyah disclosed this during the Commissioning Ceremony of the NAHCO/Aviance Bonded Warehouse at Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu.

He assured that they have gotten commitment from the airless that they would commence operation at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport shortly.

The NAHCO Chairman expressed happiness over the completion and commissioning of the NAHCO/Aviance Bonded Warehouse at Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, describing it as the 2nd Largest in the country.

He said that the facility would alleviate the sufferings of businessmen and women from the zone occasioned by absence of a warehouse.

He noted that people of the South East Region had contributed a lot in the cargo sector and advised traders from the zone to patronize the facility, assuring that NAHCO was prepared to work with people of the zone.

Earlier in an address, the Customs Area Controller, Enugu/Anambra/ Ebonyi Area Commander, Kashim Ajiya, had stated that with the dwindling revenue profile of our country as a result of the continuous downslide in oil revenue, the commissioning of the NAHCO/AVIANCE Bonded Warehouse would no doubt increase the revenue profile of the Area Command.

He noted that the Enugu/Anambra Area Command was more or less an Exercise-Oriented Command, adding 98 percent of their revenue collection was from the Exercise Traders and not from Import Duties despite the presence of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport commissioned in September 2013.

Ajiya added that the realized an average of Half-a-Million Naira Customs Duties Monthly from the Airport through passenger baggage declarations.

According to him, “this year (2015) we have so far collected between January-August, 2015 a total Revenue of 4,404,691,214.94 four Billion, four hundred and four million, six hundred and ninety one thousand, two hundred and fourteen naira, ninety for kobo.”

 

REGIS ANUKWUOJI