ASABA—Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State has promised to upgrade the Asaba International Airport, which was downgraded by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, some months ago to the required standard with an additional cargo terminal to boost business activities.

Okowa, yesterday, in Asaba while performing the ground-breaking ceremony for the Asaba City Mall, which will cost about $40 million, said: “I believe that the airport development in Asaba is something that will help businesses grow, though, there were some issues, we have made progress and the contractor is already back to site.

“I believe that in another six months, our airport will be of the required standard so that all planes can land and we are planning to build the Cargo airport which will definitely be of much interest to the companies that are developing the Asaba City Mall because they can bring their goods and services to Asaba from other parts of the world with greater speed and ease.”

Expressing joy that the ground-breaking ceremony of the multi-million dollar shopping mall was being done, he said; “This project will steer up and stimulate the growth of the state in terms of commerce and more importantly, it is going to be an avenue to create a lot of jobs, both direct and indirect for our teeming youths and our people in Delta State particularly those who are residing within Asaba and its environs.

“I want to commend Resilient Africa, Baysol Development Company for bringing this project to Asaba and a similar project in Warri which is already completed. We are an investment friendly state and we will continue to encourage investors who are coming into the country, especially, Delta State both in the areas of industrialisation and commerce. We will create the enabling environment to ensure that you work under peaceful conditions to enable the industries grow.”

Meanwhile, Governor Okowa has inaugurated a 30-man Advisory and Peace Building Council with a charge on them to strengthen the foundation of the unity of Delta State.

Speaking during the inauguration of the council which has former Minister of Information, Prof Sam Oyovbaira as chairman, yesterday, in Asaba, the governor, said “The Delta State Advisory and Peace Building Council which has just been created is an improvement on the Delta State Advisory Council that had been in existence since the year 2000.”

The governor explained that the new advisory council has been repositioned in line with global trends in conflict prevention, conflict resolution and transformation, as well as post-conflict reconciliation and peace management.

Okowa said; “Peace building covers a broad range of issues such as inclusive growth, economic development, educational advancement, health improvement, religious harmony and environmental sustainability. It seeks not only to resolve or avert conflicts, but to also formulate policies and build relationships that help to maintain peace and justice.”

Source: Vanguard Newspaper

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