By CHARLES IWUOHA

Former deputy governor of Ebonyi State, Professor Chigozie Ogbu, alongside former Chairman, Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), Elias Mbam, amongst other passengers landed safely at the first commercial flight operation of the Chuba Okadigbo international airport, Onueke Ezza South LGA.

It was gathered that the first commercial flight landed in the airport at exactly 10:30am on Friday with numerous passengers.

The aircraft-United Nigeria Airlines with registration 5N-8WV carried passengers from Abuja to Chuba Okadigbo airport Onueke, and as well, took another passengers from Onueke back to Abuja.

In their separate reactions, Emmanuel Nwafor, a passenger described the landing of the aircraft on the airport as a dream come through.

“We’ve yearned and at a point we were even agitating because the volume of investment in this airport by the state government is something this airport should have been classified as the best in the country but we are seeing a lot of delay in commencement.

“But today, history is made, we have broken the jinx and I’m privileged to be part of the partaker of what God has done for Ebonyi State.

“The flight was very smooth. There was no turbulence; the take-off and the landing was very perfect”, he said.

Another passenger, Chigozie Ogbu, said the landing of the commercial flight, shows that Ebonyi State has arrived.

“This is the first flight and I am lucky to be part of the passengers that landed here.

“It was a very smooth landing. The runway is one of the best in the country and it was a good landing, as good as any place in the world and I flew from Abuja”, he said.

Also, the former Chairman, Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission, Elias Mbam who was among passengers that were boarding for Abuja from the airport, said he was happy for the boarding and congratulated the state government led by Governor Francis Nwifuru for the commencement of commercial flight operations in the airport.

“They have started very well and I am impressed with the facilities that I saw at the airport. They need to beef it up and make the flight more regularly”, Mbam stated.

Responding, Henry Nduka, one of the federal commissioner in RMAFC, said: “Our landing was excellent and very smooth.

“I have traveled far and near, and you can’t get a better runway like this Chuba Okadigbo’s airport anyway in the world.

“We have seen some delay in the take-off of the commercial flight operation, but today, history have been made, and I’m privileged to be one of the passengers that fly the first commercial fight operation at the Chuba Okadigbo’s International Airport, Onueke Ezza South LGA,” he stated.

The Commissioner for Aviation and Transport Technology in the state, Mrs Ngozi Obichukwu, commended Governor Francis Nwifuru for ensuring that commercial flight operations commence in the airport.

She disclosed that flights will be on Mondays and Friday’s from Abuja to Chuba Okadigbo’s airport Onueke, and from Onueke to Abuja, so also, from Lagos to Onueke and Onueke to Lagos.

“More are yet to come because on Monday we’re taking off from Lagos to here and we’re taking off from here to Lagos.

“We just pray that people should not miss their flight because some of them really missed their flight today.

“They should please adhere strictly to it, we are not joking since we have started and there’s no going back. We are moving on,” she stressed.