It was a day of joy in Bayelsa State Thursday as the first airplane marked 5N-BUV, touched down at the newly-built Bayelsa International airport in Amassoma, Southern Ijaw, the heartland of the Ijaw nation.
A second flight operated by Air Peace Airline also landed at the airport, which has a 3.5 – kilometre runway, said to be the longest in the country, where a jubilant crowd eagerly waited to receive Governor Seriake Dickson.
Also accompanying the governor on the flight was his wife, Dr. Rachel Dickson; Deputy Governor, Rear Admiral John Jonah (rtd); Chairman of the state Traditional Rulers Council, King Alfred Diete Spiff, among others.
Speaking at the event, Dickson described the airport as one of the best in the country, noting that it would serve as a free trade zone not only in the Niger Delta but also for the Gulf of Guinea.
He said the airport was executed in fulfillment of his promise of bringing the world to Bayelsa and vice versa.
Dickson said under his leadership he had never played politics with three key issues, namely: development of the state, protection of the interest of the Ijaw nation and security.
Congratulating the people of the state for the great achievement, he berated the federal government for reneging on its promise to construct the terminal building, which his administration also completed.