Air Peace opens Lagos - Makurdi route
Air Peace, on Monday, commenced commercial three weekly flights into Makurdi, Benue State from the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA), Lagos, thereby becoming the only airline to do so. The airline in a statement by Mr. Stanley Olisa, its spokesman said that the flight, which would operate on Mondays, Wednesday and Fridays, was part of its expansion drive.
The statement hinted that the inaugural flight, which departed MMA at 7:00 a. m via the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja to Makurdi, was received with excitement from the State Government, led by Mr. Sam Ortom, other dignitaries of the state and indigenes. Olisa stated that the inaugural flight P47440 arrived Makurdi Airport at 9:15 am to a ceremonial water salute by officials of the Aerodrome Rescue and Firefighting unit of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).
Also on the ground to receive the inaugural flight was Sen. George Akume, a former governor of the state and Minister of Special Duties and Mrs. Comfort Ogbuagwu, the Airport Manager, FAAN. Mr. Allen Onyema, the Chairman, Air Peace in his speech, described the flight as a historic feat, stressing that no airline currently operates flights from Lagos and Abuja to Makurdi.
Onyema who was represented at the occasion by Mr. Ayodele Adeyemi, Ground Operations, Air Peace, said that the decision to operate to Makurdi was borne out of the airline’s persisting original vision to interconnect various cities across Nigeria, thereby fostering unity and promoting impactful economic relations.
The Makurdi route, he said had been in popular demand by Nigerians. He added: “As a socially sensitive and responsive airline, we’re constantly reviewing our route network vis-à-vis public needs while considering strategic ways of expanding it to provide immense value to Nigerians. The new route will be optimally serviced, and Nigerians will benefit exceedingly.”
Adeyemi further stated that the newly launched route would crystallise in employment opportunities for the indigenes of the Benue State as the airline was primarily set up to fill unemployment gaps in the country. He also solicited the continued support and cooperation of all relevant stakeholders for the airline to keep accomplishing the lofty feats.
In his speech, Ortom commended the airline’s management for the opportunity to have commercial air transport to Benue State, saying the development would boost the state’s economy. He added that having a commercial flight to the state would open it up for foreign direct investment (FDI) as the fear of travelling to the state by road had been completely eliminated.
“I particularly thank the Air Peace Chairman for accepting this partnership and we are hopeful this would be fruitful. It will also ease the travel burden of our people,” he said. Besides, Akume who was aboard the return flight to Abuja noted that there had been several unsuccessful attempts in the past to ensure regular flights into Makurdi.
