By Chinedu Eze
Since the past 30 years Nigerian airlines have been major operators in the West Coast destinations, including Central and West Africa. Before the incursion of the Chinese into the West African market, Nigeria businessmen and women held sway in the sub-region, providing goods and services to the growing market in the cities in West and Central Africa that till today Nigerian made products like Milo, Bournvita, Indomie and Nigerian electric cables remain household items in many parts of the sub-region.So the destinations in the sub-region have remained
veritable and robust market for Nigerian carriers from the days of the Nigeria
Airways Limited to the time Bellview Airline held sway to the time Virgin
Nigeria Airways survived on proceeds from the West Coast and the foray of Arik
Air to all major cities in West and Central and farther to Angola.
What is significant about these destinations is that there
is always Nigerian community yearning for Nigerian carriers to connect them so
that they could be taken home regularly.
That was also what happened on Thursday last week when
Nigerian residents celebrated the inaugural flight of Nigeria’s biggest
carrier, Air Peace when it landed at the Douala international airport amid
heavy downpour.
Not deterred by the rain, excited Nigerians and Cameroonians
waving Nigerian/Cameroon flags welcomed the Nigerian carrier with so much
excitement and fanfare.
The President of Nigerian Community in Doula region, Mr.
Bartholomew Okwuja who expressed so much happiness at the decision of Air Peace
to start flight service to Douala said direct connection between Nigeria and
Cameroon was a dream come true and regretted the challenges Nigerians and
others face trying to come to Nigeria by road, by sea or by air.
“Air Peace flight to Douala is going to solve so many
problems for us, making our journey to be fast. You know as a businessman, time
is money. And once you get something that can enable you to save your time,
automatically you are saving money and you are making more money.
So it is already a good step forward between Nigeria and
Cameroon. It is not only we from the South even the Cameroonian people that are
going to do business will also use the same route to make sure that they get
what they want on time, safe and in peace.
“Do you know that there are a lot of challenges, like
passing through the water, it is a horrible thing? So many people are being
drowned in the water, boats being destroyed and so on and so forth. It has been
horrible.
On the road as well, a lot of accidents take placed and
bandits can attack travellers. But I think now with Air Peace that is
available, the problem is already solved. And we want to thank God. It is a
very good initiative, wonderful, fantastic. I cannot imagine how to put it.
“It is a big victory that we have one of our own airlines
coming here, we can go home without passing through other countries. And as you
know, it will boost trade, investment tourism for both countries. As you know,
Doula is the economic hub of the republic of Cameroon, just the way Lagos is to
Nigeria. So it is a big win, win for both countries,”Okwuja said.
Addressing the dignitaries and others who welcomed the
airline at Douala airport, Air Peace Ground Operations Manager, Mr. Ayodeji
Adeyemi said the airline was delighted to launch flight service to Douala.
“I feel excited that today, Air Peace, West Africa’s largest
carrier, is making its entry into Cameroon from Lagos, Nigeria. We are
delighted this launch is happening, as we believe both countries will benefit
enormously from it in the areas of employment creation, promotion of tourism,
facilitation of a seamless movement of people and other forms of economic
value.
“Air Peace is famed for its no-city-left-behind initiative, which is driving our route expansion. The extension of our wings to Douala is resultant from our vision to create affordable and safe air travel for Africans, with our signature hospitality, connecting various cities across Africa, especially the West Coast, thereby fostering socio-economic integration. This Day.
0 comments:
Post a Comment