By PAMELA EBOH, Awka

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has issued authority to Anambra State Government to open the Anambra International Cargo And Passenger Airport for commercial operations with effect from today, Thursday, December 2, 2021.

The airport was formallycommissioned early last month by the State Governor, Chief Willie Obiano, but flight operations were stalled by NCAA because of lack of some basic facilities.

In a letter dated 1st December, 2021, addressed to Governor Obiano, the aviation authority said that it has received security clearance from relevant security agencies for the opening.

“The negative security clearance was the reason the authority had declined approval for the opening of the airport on the 30th of October 2021, when the state government had scheduled the commissioning.

“In the interim, Category B aircrafts are permitted to land and take off from the airport from sunrise to sunset,” it added.

Speaking on the development, Anambra State Commissioner for Works, Engineer Marcel Ifejiofor, praised the efforts of Governor Obiano “who never relented, even while on vacation, to ensure that the Anambra airport becomes operational ahead of the Christmas 2021 mass return of Ndi Anambra living in the Diaspora, and other visitors.”

With this NCAA clearance, airlines already approved by the relevant authorities to operate at the Anambra airport such as Air Peace, Ibom Air, United Nigeria and others are expected to start scheduling flights into and out of the airport immediately.