The Imo State Government have taken delivery of the first aircraft, to kick start, as the first state owned commercial airline, Imo Air.
During the official launch of the new airline at the Sam Mbakwe International Cargo airport in Owerri, the Imo state capital, the Governor Rochas Okorocha said the investment by the state government would boost economic activities in the state.
He added that it would also increase the state Internally Generated Revenue and also generate employment opportunities for teaming unemployed youths in the state.
The governor noted that it had been his dream and sincere desire to position Imo State on the fast lane of development, prosperity and growth.
“This is a happy moment in the State. The aim of going into the air business is because I want to drive traffic to Imo State as it is becoming the fastest developing city outside Abuja and Lagos. For this, there is need for more airlines to cushion the effects of high traffic coming to the State.
“Imo government does not have an operating air license. So we needed to partner with a good and qualified airline operator. Hence, the choice of DANA Air because of its proven track record and sincerity of purpose.
“The Imo Air will be operated by DANA and we have a contract of 10 years with them. We have five aircraft. The first one has just landed and four other ones will start operation in few weeks time”.
The governor explained that “the International Cargo Airport will soon kick-start to supplement the efforts of Imo Air.
“In our pursuit of making Imo better, Imo International Cargo Airport will soon commence operations. Work is going on smoothly and by April, God’s willing the fastest International Cargo Plane will arrive Imo State.
“This, we believe will help drive up commercial activities in the State,” Governor Okorocha stated.
He informed reporters that Imo Air would have 10% discount to all indigenes flying the plane and the operation would equally employ over 30% of Imo sons and daughters to help in the management of the airline.
Some dignitaries present at the event lauded the initiative of the Imo state government, saying it would go a long way to address the shortfalls in air transport in the southeast and Nigeria as a whole.
The Commissioner for Works and Transport, Josephine Udoji said: “When we launched our Imo mass transit buses, we engaged not less than 300 unemployed youths. Today they are earning not less than 30,000 Naira and some are earning 50,000 Naira from that project.
“We saw the need to launch the Cabs which we did at a subsidised price so our people can now be owners of cars”.
The new airline is expected to have routes to Lagos, Abuja, Benin, Sokoto, and other major states in the federation.
