The newly built Bayelsa International airport in Amassoma, Southern Ijaw, the heartland of the Ijaw nation, has opened for business.
The airport has a 3.5 kilometre runway which is said to be the longest runway in the country.
Two flights touched down at the airport on Thursday, one of them, a flight operated by Air Peace carrying the Governor of the state, Governor Seriake Dickson, his wife; Dr. Rachel Dickson; Deputy Governor, Rear Admiral John Jonah (rtd); Chairman of the state Traditional Rulers Council, King Alfred Diete Spiff, among others.
Addressing the excited crowd, which was on hand to receive them, Governor Dickson described the airport as one of the best in the country, noting that it would serve as a free trade zone not only in the Niger Delta but also for the Gulf of Guinea.
He said with the airport constructed and functional, he has fulfilled his promise of bringing the world to Bayelsa and vice versa.
Noting that his government had never played politics with three key issues, development of the state, protection of the interest of the Ijaw nation and security, he criticized the federal government for backing out on its promise to construct the terminal building, which, according to him, his administration also completed.
According to him, the state government handled the entire project without any input from the federal government or the Niger Delta Development Commission NDDC.
The governor disclosed that the airport project cost about N60 billion and expressed his gratitude to the contractor, Dantata and Sawoe and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN for ensuring the airport met with international standards.
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Dickson said the airport was built to improve the economy of the state, adding that it would soon be fully inaugurated for both local and international flights.
He also dismissed reports saying the state government spent between N120 and N150 billion on the project as untrue, adding that the facility would be able to accommodate big body aircraft like the Boeing B777 and B747.
The Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr. Daniel Iworisoma, who also spoke at the event, said the airport would create over 2,000 direct and indirect jobs for indigenes of the state.
He called the airport a Valentine’s Day present to the people of Bayelsa State, stressing that the airport was built strictly for business, especially the oil and gas industry and had no political undertone.
“We must put politics aside for us to have development. This is the first airport in Bayelsa State, to help develop the economy. This airport will serve as a hub for the petroleum industry but we want to also look away from oil and gas and look at other revenue sources, so this is a legacy project,” he said.
The Senator representing Bayelsa East, Ben Bruce, said the airport would ease movement for indigenes of the state and also boost trade and commerce.
Representative of the Managing Director of the FAAN, Mr. Clifford Omozeghian, said the body had already deployed critical personnel to man aviation security, the fire-fighting equipment and rescue operations at the facility.
In his goodwill message, Chairman of the State Traditional Rulers Council, King Diette Spiff, expressed delight over the project, noting that the airport would promote tourism, export and industrial development.
