The Bayelsa State Government has bought two aircraft to begin commercial flight operations at the Bayelsa International Airport.
A statement by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Alabrah, on Tuesday said the two aircraft are expected to be used in the Yenagoa-Abuja and Yenagoa-Lagos routes.
According to the statement, 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.
The governor stated that his administration was determined to make the Bayelsa International Airport more commercially effective for flight operations.
While welcoming Louise-George on his maiden visit to Nigeria and Bayelsa, he described the State of Africa in Diaspora as akin to Doctors Without Borders.
Governor Diri said the state government was ready for partnership in the area of expansion of the airport and the development of a smart city.
“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,” he said.
