The First Lady Oluremi Tinubu has inaugurated a 3.1 kilometre runway at the Wilberforce Chuba Okadigbo International Airport, Onueke, Ebonyi state.
She performed the ceremony on the margins of her visit to the state where she attended the 2024 Ebonyi Women’s Day celebration.
She was joined at the inauguration ceremony by Wife of the Vice President, Hajiya Nana Shettima; Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi state, and the former Senate President, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, among others.
While applauding the state governor for seeing the project through, the First Lady said commercial activities at the airport would usher in more socio-economic development for the state.
Commercial flight operations at the airport are expected to commence on December 12, 2024.
“Nigeria has everything it takes for us to be a great nation. We have to continue to bless this land and I appeal to you our traditional rulers to lead in that regard,” she said.
Addressing women who converged on the Pa Ngele Oruta Township Stadium, Abakaliki, the First Lady acknowledged the theme of the celebration “Uplifting Women For Sustainable Development.“
She expressed satisfaction with the tremendous support they have enjoyed from the state governor in the areas of appointment and interventions.
“Let me go back to greet your governor. He has gone beyond the 35 percent in female appointments. His deputy governor is a woman, same for the Secretary to the State Government and many down the line. Now I want to announce that he has decided to empower 130 people with businesses with one million Naira each as business recapitalization grants.
As RHI, we did not come empty handed. We are donating a sum of 50 million Naira, 20,000 wrappers, shoes and bags to support businesses of women in that line, in this state,” she said.
The First Lady appealed to market women to refrain from an unfair hike in prices of food items during the yuletide season.
While appreciating the First Lady for the visit, Governor Francis Nwifuru acknowledged the impact of RHI intervention programmes in the state, and thanked her for bringing dividends of democracy to Ebonyi women.
The governor said he was indebted to the women of the state whose contributions to the development of the state have been tremendous.