Plateau State Government and Valuejet Airline have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for regular flight operations on the Jos-Abuja route.

The agreement, The Guardian learnt, is to sustain flight operations on the route and keep the Jos-Abuja route viable.

Recall that ValueJet had on October 10, 2022, launched its inaugural flight and in February 2023 began flight services to Jos, Plateau State.

The signing of the MoU took place at ValueJet’s head office in Lagos. While the Managing Director of ValueJet, Capt. Omololu Majekodunmi, signed for the airline, the Commissioner of Transportation, Jatau Davou Gyang, signed on behalf of the Plateau State government.

Gyang said the initiative was very critical to the development of the state, adding that the event marked a significant milestone in the quest of Governor Mutfwang’s administration to open the economy of the state in line with his policy thrust.

He said: “The essence of this agreement is that the governor, when he came on onboard, saw a deficit in activities of air transportation in the state and how the value in these activities is not felt within the state. As someone who responds to the plight of his people in terms of safety and economic value of the travel between Jos and Abuja, he found it expedient to have a very reliable airline that would be frequenting Abuja-Jos, to be able to boost the economic activities in the state and then to guarantee the safety of travellers.”

Gyang added that to boost the economy of the state, the governor had mulled upgrading the Jos Airport.

“With the passion that the governor has with available resources within the shortest time possible, you will see something very soon. He is so passionate about the well-being of his people,” Gyang said.

Majekodunmi, on his part, said the essence of the air pact was to tie, guarantee, and legally put in place air transport business between both parties, which was further necessitated by insecurity on the road.

He said: “The governor, since he was sworn in, has driven to Abuja from Jos more than 25 times. This applies to all the commissioners. It is either you take a 35-minute flight, or you take a five-hour trip by road with hoodlums and insecurity on the roads.”

“We have promised them that we want to see that this (partnership) works, and I think other states should learn from it. We will see to it until the route gets profitable and until people start to appreciate it. Now, they know that there is a safe way to get to Abuja,” Majekodunmi said.