Asaba airport reopens as NEMA takes flooding campaign to Delta

The Asaba International Airport has reopened for operations after months of COVID-19 lockdowns to check the spread of the disease.

Amid excitement, passengers, yesterday, alighted from the Aero Contractors flight, a Q300 Dash 8 with registration No 5N – BJO, that flew all the way from Abuja and touched down at exactly 11.52a.m. in the Delta State capital.

The Commissioner for Information, Charles Aniagwu, who was on the plane that later returned to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) with travellers at 2.28p.m., confirmed that all the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) protocols were observed during the trip.

Fielding questions from journalists, Aniagwu described the move as one of the rewards of the developmental efforts of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, adding: “Ibom Air is resuming flight in the airport to join AZMAN and Air Peace that have always been part of the airport operations.”

He said the development attests to the wise investment decision made by the state government to upgrade facilities at the gateway.

Earlier, the Special Projects Director at the facility, Austine Ayemidejor, said: “The state government had invested a lot to ensure compliance with regulatory protocol for reopening of airports.”

Meanwhile, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has begun a door-to-door sensitisation of coastal communities on the imminent flooding in the state.

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) had picked Delta among those that would probably suffer the natural disaster this year.

Head of Operation, NEMA Edo Operation Office, Dahiru Yusuf, who led a team to the riverine Oko-Anala settlement in Oshimili South council area of the state, told newsmen that the exercise was part of measures to lessen the suffering of the people, adding that “the challenge of flooding has become an annual event that has caused loss of lives and property worth millions of naira as well as rendered many homeless.”

The NEMA official went on: “NiMet has predicted that Oshimili South is one of the local government areas to be affected by the 2020 flooding. Consequently, we have to sensitise the people on what they need to know as well on how to handle such situation.

“We caution against building on flood plains and waterways, and also stress the need to avoid dumping refuse in drainages and gutters. We are here to caution against driving into flooded water, touching electrical poles and equipment standing on water. And you must not hesitate to relocate to higher ground before your homes become submerged by flood waters.”

The delegation pleaded with the Akor of Oko kingdom, HRM Eze Osita, to assist in enlightening his subjects on the issue.