The Bayelsa State government has announced that it has acquired two aircrafts for the commencement of commercial flight operations at the Bayelsa International Airport.
According to a statement released by Mr Daniel Alabrah the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, the two aircraft are expected to be used in the Yenagoa-Abuja and Yenagoa-Lagos routes.
The statement said Governor Douye Diri made the disclosure on Monday during the courtesy visit by the Prime Minister of the State of Africa in Diaspora, Dr Tin Louise-George, to Government House, Yenagoa.
Governor Diri said his administration was determined to make the Bayelsa International Airport more commercially effective for flight operations.
While welcoming Dr Louise-George on his maiden visit to Nigeria and Bayelsa, he described the State of Africa in Diaspora as akin to Doctors Without Borders.
He said the state government was ready for partnership in the area of the expansion of the airport and the development of a smart city.
He said: “I heartily welcome you and your team to Bayelsa. We are happy to note that you are here in Nigeria for the first time.
“Let me acknowledge that I had a fruitful virtual meeting with you and your team when I was recently in London, which was facilitated by my Technical Adviser, Prof. Oweikumo Eradiri.
“As an African government without borders, we know you have a lot for us. My technical adviser had earlier presented the plans we have for developing our state. The airport is one of them, which certainly needs expansion.
“We are working on the airport in the area of ensuring there are regular daily flights. We had an arrangement with a private airline, which we were supporting for flights to and from Lagos and Abuja. But it got to a point where that arrangement almost collapsed, and the airport became virtually non-functional.
“Now we have taken the bull by the horns, and as we speak, we are expecting two aircraft, which the government has already procured.
These aircraft would operate daily flights to Lagos and Abuja. So wherever you have an airport, constant electricity and water, it is as good as any place you stay to eke out a living.
“Talking about smart city, we are equally developing a new city called the New Yenagoa City. It is a place my team will take you to see what we are doing. That is the kind of place a smart city will be very okay for our people.”
