Gombe (Nigeria): The Governors of the six states of the North-East region are contributing N5 billion each to purchase two aircraft for the establishment of the regional air shuttle aimed at enhancing air transportation.
Mr Muhammad Magaji, the Gombe State Commissioner for Finance and Economic Development, disclosed this on Wednesday after the State Executive Council meeting held in Gombe.
Magaji stated that the council had approved N5 billion as the state’s contribution towards the purchase of two aircraft for the establishment of the North-East air shuttle, which he said would soon be operational.
He said the initiative began in 2020, when all six states collectively paid N69 million in consultancy fees to establish the regional shuttle.
Gombe’s N5 billion has been approved, and we will make the payment today (Wednesday) to meet the deadline.
The six Governors of the North-East states had decided that the region needs a Northeast shuttle, that is, an airline.
The six states had agreed to contribute N5 billion each, bringing the total to N30 billion for the purchase of two aircraft to be utilised for the Northeast shuttle.
“The airline will move around the North-Eastern states and outside of the region to other parts of the country.
“There were two decisions, either you borrow $20 million to buy, or you pay N5 billion each, and the six governors have agreed to contribute that sum,” he said.
Magaji explained further that the shuttle would open up the region and ensure it has a stable air transport system.
He stated that with the shuttle coming on board, the region would no longer have issues with air transportation as it used to experience.
Magaji said, “Most at times, airlines come into the North-East and for one reason or another, they pull out.
“So, for now, even when anyone pulls out, this is our own airline; it would remain with us to serve the North-East and even others outside the North-East.”
In a related development, the State Commissioner for Works, Housing and Transportation, Mr Usman Kallamu, said that the council had also approved N669 for the upgrade of facilities at the state Airport in the Lawanti community.
Kallamu said that since the airport was built in 2005 and inaugurated in 2008, there had been no upgrades to the facilities; hence, the state government’s intervention to renovate and construct new facilities.
He said part of the new facilities would include an administrative block and construction of modern toilet facilities, amongst others, to replace the obsolete ones.