PORT HARCOURT, AUGUST 29, 2016 – The founder of Ohaneze Ndigbo in South Africa, Chief Jonas Udeji, has called on the Federal Government to approve more flights for the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu.Udeji made the call in a statement after the group’s celebration of the 2016 new yam festival in Johannesburg, South Africa.
He said that the airport needed more international flights because of the volume of business done in the South East.
“I appeal to the Federal Government to approve more international flights for the airport, especially from South Africa because of the entrepreneurial skills of the people.
“Majority of the people is in business and it will be more convenient to have direct flights to Enugu. It is always a burden to land in Lagos or Abuja before connecting to Enugu.
“Ohaneze Ndigbo in South Africa is happy with the commencement of cargo flight to the airport by Ethiopia Airways and we want more of such flights to the airport,” he said.
Udeji said that the celebration of the new yam was significant because it would afford the people the opportunity to reflect on their present status, achievements and plan their future.
A South Africa-based Nigerian, Prof. Edwin Ijeoma, also said that the airport deserved more international flights.
Ijeoma, a professor of policy and public sector economics at the University of Fort Hare, South Africa, said in a telephone interview from Johannesburg that the move would boost commerce and business in the southeastern part of the country.
“I think it’s a good development and it will be better for that to continue to happen because we have a good number of passengers from the eastern part of the country that do business in South Africa.
“It will encourage tourism, good businesses and good international relations between Nigeria and South Africa,” he said.
Ijeoma also said that if South Africa Airways commenced flights to Enugu, it would make their people appreciate the Nigerian hinterland.
“I say this because people are used to stopping in Lagos and Abuja, but I think this move will make them appreciate our people and their culture,” he said.
The don also said that the recent commencement of cargo flight by Ethiopian Airways to Enugu was a step in the right direction.
The President of the Nigeria Union in South Africa, Mr Ikechukwu Anyene, praised the group for exhibiting Nigerian culture during the celebration.
“People are happy with Ohaneze for projecting a rich Nigerian culture in South Africa and I call on other groups to also use same opportunity to showcase our culture,” he said.
Representatives of the Amakhluvi tribe in Eastern Cape Province of South Africa were said to have attended the occasion.
