Chinua Achebe Airport, Umunri Anambra State, formally known as Anambra International Cargo Airport, recorded 8,624 flight and over 600,000 passengers since its inauguration in the last five years.
BusinessDay reports that the Airport was conceived, started, completed and inaugurated by former Governor Willie Obiano on December 7th, 2021.
Martin Nwafor, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Airport, told journalists on Sunday that since it began operations in 2021, the Airport had recorded 8,624 flights, both commercial and private, and over 600,000 passengers.
Nwafor disclosed that the facility records more activities during peak seasons such as Christmas and other festivities, applauding the leadership of Governor Chukwuma Soludo, who he said, has done a lot to upgrade the Airport.
He noted that the fire service unit, which was not completed initially, had been completed with three brand-new fire trucks.
“Night flights today are possible in Chinua Achebe Airport, Umueri because Governor Soludo has replaced the lights that were previously vandalised.
“He has also provided a water truck, and carried out several other renovations that helped upgrade the airport from Category Five to Category Seven, while efforts are ongoing to attain Category Nine status this year, alongside achieving full cargo operations.
“We are calling on Ndi Anambra, who we know as largely business-oriented, to make use of this Airport provided and maintained for their benefit by the State Government.
“I don’t see why the state would have a facility like this, while the majority of our citizens patronise airports in other States, thereby boosting other states’ revenue and improving their infrastructure. Let us use what we have,” Nwafor noted
He, however, appealed to the Governor to help provide a ceiling inside the airport terminal to enable passengers make use of the Departure Hall.
He explained that the Airport is currently using a makeshift departure hall due to excessive heat in the main hall caused by a lack of roof insulation, which makes it difficult for the standing air conditioners in the hall to cool the space.
