By Dave Okpogadie, Asaba
The Special Project director, Asaba International Airport, Mr Austin Ayemidejor, said the proactive and timely lockdown of Delta State by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa-led committee on the containment of the COVID-19 saved a lot of Deltans from the effects of the ravaging pandemic.
Mr Ayemidejor, who, stated this while chatting with journalists in Asaba, said when the governor took the decision as a professional medical expert who was working with professionals in different fields, many people saw it to be in the best interest of Deltans.
He observed that at a time like this, the most important factor at stake was saving lives, saying the governor’s prompt intervention deserved commendation.
The special project director said, “As events unfold on daily basis, we see reasons to commend the proactive approach by our governor and members of his team in tackling the Covid-19 pandemic.
“As a state that is strategically located as gateway to the South-South and South-East and even waterways to the South West, it was like an impossible task to lock it down; but its location too placed it on greater danger as those on transit were bound to stop over. This is why we commend Governor Okowa for not only taking a proactive step but a bold and daring step to curb the effects of Covid-19 on Deltans.
“The good thing about our governor is that he puts the interest of the people first; and, so far, he deserves accolades with the way he has managed this impromptu pandemic. As usual, most states would want to learn from the state, especially with the recent distribution of food without considering party affiliation.
“It is a time for all hands to be on deck to assist the needy in the society without making such assistance political, because it is a challenging period that people did not prepare for.
“As it concerns the operations of Asaba International Airport, it is in the interest of members of the public for activities at the airport to shut down temporarily; and, as you are aware, almost all the airports in the world have shut down as a result of the pandemic.
“We are blessed with responsible passengers and air operators who understood the situation and are happy that such measures were taken to safeguard their lives and that of others in line with global standards.
“The airport has become one of the busiest in Nigeria with facilities that meet with the best standards in the world, and we believe that, like most airports, the decisions by Governor Okowa and his team were in line with global standards as it had to do with ‘safety first’.
“We believe that we shall come out from this pandemic healthier and better, as I am confident that the Asaba International Airport will continue to grow in terms of number of air operators and passengers; all that we need is patience and strict adherence to the rules that will save us from Covid-19.
“My advice to Deltans is that we should remain prayerful, remain at home, wash our hands regularly and generally obey government directives, which will always be in our best interest,” Mr Ayemidejor stated.
