Departure wing of Bayelsa Intrernational Airport, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital
It was apparent dream realization for the outgoing chief executive of Bayelsa State, Chief Seriake Henry Dickson, Monday as the N70bn Yenagoa International Airport was inaugurated few days to leaving office for opposition party, the candidate of All progressive Congress (APC), Chief David Lyon, who was Tuesday confrimed by the Superme Court as the APC candidate of the 2019 guber elections.
However, it was strange the PDP national stalwart and the current national leader of his party and brother, former President Goodluck Jonathan were all missing at the inauguration ceremony.
Though the airport is now, inaugurated, there may not any form of flight operation as the relevant approving Federal Agencies are yet to express full certification on the true readiness of the airport.
Business Hilights recalls that the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) had made earlier it clear that the inability of the Bayelsa State Government to fully fence the recently commissioned Bayelsa Airport was responsible for its non-certification by the authority.
Yenagoa International Airport was opened for flight operations earlier in the year with fanfare but since the inaugural flight landed, the airport had remained shut to flight services.
In his address, Chief Dickson denied any form of flooding within or near the airport, which had formed key argument of the federal agencies in delaying operational approvals.
The Governor revealed that whereas the State Government has delivered the domestic runway for the airport, he appealed for federal support in the construction of the international runway at the airport.
According to him, the new airport should be guarded and cherished as an Ijaw nation’s crucial asset for the development of Niger Delta and people.
