Akwa Ibom Commissioner for Culture And Tourism, Sir Charles Udoh during the briefing.
By Anietie Akpan
Determined to increase the number of aircraft in Ibom Air fleet, Akwa Ibom State Government has approved the immediate acquisition of two Bombardier CRJ aircraft.
Currently Ibom Air has five Bombardier CRJ aircraft and two Airbus 220-300 in its fleet.
The approval for the acquisition of the two aircraft was granted during the State Executive Council meeting for the month of August 2024, presided over by the Governor -in -Council, Pastor Umo Eno, at the EXCO Chambers, Government House, Uyo.
Briefing Government House correspondents after the meeting, the Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Sir Charles Udoh, said the new two CRJ jets, just like the recently received Airbus 220-300 are not part of the aircraft ordered in 2021 out of which only one has so far been delivered.
He further explained that the need for the fleet expansion was due to Ibom Air’s decision to cover some low- traffic routes that require slimmer, more economical aircraft than those used in heavy traffic routes like Uyo-Abuja–Lagos.
Udoh said, “‘Exco has approved plans by Ibom Air to immediately increase its fleet of aircraft with two CRJ jets to consolidate its enviable position as the leading airline in Nigeria.”
He said while Exco acknowledged the excellent performance of Ibom Air, the government urged the management of the airline not to rest on its oars but continue to do more to consolidate and maintain its leading position.
Furthermore, the Commissioner said, the Governor-in-Council, having received briefings from various Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), restated the administration’s resolve to fulfil its campaign promises, in line with the ARISE Agenda.
The Governor, according to Udoh, directed the Commissioner for Works and Fire Service, Professor Eno Ibanga to ensure that all contractors get set to return to site as the rains begin to recede as Council also approved new road construction contracts as part of efforts to boost economic growth of the state.
On Culture and Tourism, Udoh hinted that, “Exco received briefing on plans by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism to increase in-bound footfall into the state in the 4th quarter of the year in addition to the preliminary plans for another December to remember in Akwa Ibom, featuring Christmas Unplugged 2.0 and Christmas Carol season 17″.
This, he explained, will be done through series of events starting from the commemoration of the World Tourism Day 2024 this September.
