Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom said on Saturday that the state planned to add 10 additional A220-300 series aircraft to the fleet of Ibom Air.
He revealed the plan when he spoke at an event marking the 85th birthday of Obong Etim Abia, the Paramount Ruler of Eket in Eket Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom.
“As I am leaving here, we are signing fresh agreements that will give us 10 brand new A220-300 Air Buses, so that even when I leave office, it will remain an enduring legacy,’’ he said.
The governor also talked about his determination to ensure that quality was not compromised in the Eket Stadium project, the International Market project, roads and other development programmes in the area.
He stressed that the peculiarities of the Eket terrain were taken into consideration before projects were approved to be sited in the area to ensure that they stood the test of time.
He appealed for patience from Eket residents, while reassuring that all the projects would be delivered and appreciated long after his tenure.
Gov. Emmanuel decried the fact that climate and weather conditions, the COVID-19 pandemic and other natural occurrences had impacted on the pace of work.
“People have said a lot of things about developments and projects. Your Majesty, we have had major challenges in the past two years that we never envisaged in governance.
“In 2020, nobody could do much because of COVID-19. In 2021, we were poised for infrastructure development, but the volume of rainfall has been unprecedented,’’ the governor explained.
