The Enugu State Government, led by Governor Peter Mbah, has launched a new airline called Enugu Air.

This makes Enugu the second Nigerian state to have a commercial airline, after Akwa Ibom’s Ibom Air, which began in 2019. Enugu is the first in the South East to achieve this.

The airline was officially launched by Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation Development, Festus Keyamo, at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu.

Governor Mbah described the event as a major success. He said the airline will improve the state’s economy.

The airline will start operations with three Embraer aircraft. Its first routes will be between Enugu, Abuja, and Lagos.

Governor Mbah said that over time, more routes will be added to include cities like Port Harcourt, Owerri, Benin, and Kano.

He also plans to expand the airline to international destinations like China, Europe, the UK, and the US.

He explained that Enugu Air will help young people get jobs and make it easier for businesses to access markets and capital.

He also said it would open up opportunities for investors who want to work with Enugu State.

Minister Keyamo praised the governor for being determined to make the project happen.

He joked that Governor Mbah was always in Abuja pushing for support, even before the Minister had settled into office.

Keyamo said that party politics aside, Mbah was showing strong leadership and doing well for Enugu State.

He also praised the choice of XEJet as the airline’s partner. He said they are a capable, Nigerian-owned aviation company.

He noted that XEJet also operates Sierra Leone’s national airline and that this fits well with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

Despite the excitement at the launch, not everyone supports the project. Some believe the timing may not be right.

Some feel the governor is doing the right thing by focusing on job creation and reducing the state’s reliance on federal funding.

Others argue that although the idea is good, the government seems to be focusing more on elites than on ordinary people.

A lawyer, Kenneth Eze, said the governor should have first fulfilled his promise to provide clean water before starting an airline.

He explained that clean water would help both rich and poor, while air travel mostly benefits the wealthy.

He stressed that water should come before any other development because it is essential for life.

Eze said the lack of clean water in many parts of Enugu is a major health problem and should be the state’s top priority.

He said the governor should provide clean water even in rural areas, not just in parts of the capital.

On the other hand, some people believe the airline is a good step forward for the state.

A lawyer, Celestine Ikechukwu Nnamani, said if the airline is well managed, Enugu could become one of the richest states in Nigeria.

He advised the governor to pick professionals to run the airline and not allow political influence to affect it.

He said that a successful airline will help the state earn more money and improve its infrastructure.

But he warned that many public companies in Nigeria fail because they are poorly managed.

He hopes Governor Mbah avoids past mistakes and ensures the airline is run properly.

Another public analyst, Dahiru Majeed, also praised the governor for starting the airline.

He said the project could help raise money for other developments like roads and schools.

He added that even if the project was funded through loans, it’s worth it if it brings long-term revenue.

He compared this to leaders in Nigeria’s First Republic, who invested in businesses that boosted their regions’ economies.

He said leaders like Michael Okpara, Obafemi Awolowo, and Ahmadu Bello used public investments to build strong economies in their regions.

He supports loans for projects that create jobs and income, but not for paying salaries or building roads alone.

He warned future governors not to let the airline fail, but to keep it running for the good of the state.

He used Ethiopian Airlines as an example of a successful airline that survived because the government protected it from corruption.

He said Nigeria can learn from Ethiopia, where even in a corrupt environment, they made sure the airline succeeded.

He said Ethiopia’s leaders made a firm decision to keep the airline working, even if other sectors struggled.

He hopes Governor Mbah’s successors will continue to support Enugu Air and avoid turning it into another failed public project