By Chuks Okoh
About a months after it commenced scheduled operations , new entrant Air Peace Tuesday signed a contract with Kebbi State Government to develop flight operations into its new airport located in Birnin Kebbi, the state capital .
Air Peace, according to its chairman , Mr Allen Onyema will deploy its DORNIER Jets for the flight connections between Birnin Kebbi and Abuja as well as a return flight from Abuja to the Kebbi State capital .
This is just as the airline will commence operations on the Lagos – Asaba , route on December 1, 2014.Further operations would expand to Lagos – Warri , Warri – Port Harcourt , and Warri – Abuja routes as its acquires more aircraft .
The contract agreement was signed between officials of the state led by the governor and the chairman of the airline in Birnin Kebbi. Onyema said the agreement would involve sharing of costs between the airline and the state government as part of efforts to open up Kebbi to the national air link.
Opening the state to the national air link, he said would facilitate trade and business and other socio economic activities between the North Western state and other parts of the would .
Onyema said the airline will consolidate on the operations by introducing a flight between Kebbi and Kano to facilitate commercial and other activities
He lauded the state government for considering Air Peace worthy for the unique agreement as the first carrier to achieve such feat within a month of its commencement of flight operations .
Onyema said ;” We have scored history as the first airline within one month of its existence to sign agreement with a state government in the northern part of the country .
“The agreement is in the form of a contract to provide aircraft and develop the new airport . We have also scored another first as the newest airline to sign an agreement with the Kebbi State Government to develop the new airport just completed in Birnin Kebbi .
“This agreement would entail our developing the route and attracting traffic to the new airport from Abuja and a return flight to Kebbi.The agreement has been signed and sealed on Monday in Kebbi .
“Part of the terms of the agreement would involve development of that route. We intend to extend the flights from Abuja to Kebbi to include Kebbi to Kano and a return flight from Kano to Kebbi .
“The agreement with the Kebbi State Government is part of efforts by the governor to open the state to all parts of the world through air link, which he has started with the construction and completion of the airport .
“The airport would accelerate the socio economic development of the state . The airport is expected to generate jobs for people of the state . It would attract investment in many sectors of the economy .
“We are going to put some aircraft on the routes and share some costs on both sides .
“We are looking at deploying our DORNIER Jets on the routes and as the route expands , we would deploy the Boeing Jets. With the airport. Kebbi State has joined others using aviation as a catalyst to facilitate trade and business . The place is very safe .”
He further said :”We are very excited over the partnership with Kebbi State, and Air Peace would play its role accordingly . It is important to clarify that there is nothing like unviable airport , state governments must give operators the opportunity to help open up airports . If you do not start it, the airports would not be open . We have plans to sign similar agreements with other state governments , which we would disclose at the appropriate time .
On expansion plans , a Onyema said : “From December 1, 2014 , we are expanding our operations with flights from Lagos into Asaba International Airport .
“This is not just plan for December, but we have had it in the pipeline . We consider Asaba Airport an important route .
“As more of our aircraft arrive , we would go beyond Asaba Airport and extend flights between Lagos and Warri . We will also extend flights between Warri and Port Harcourt and a return flight from Port Harcourt to Warri . We will also do Warri to Abuja flights .”
