The first aircraft has landed at the Bayelsa State International Airport 23years after it was created.
Governor Seriake d**kson of Bayelsa State said it was the first aircraft to land in any airport in Izon land, the heartland of the Ijaw.
The governor said he was more than excited to receive the first aircraft into the airport as a Valentine gift to the people.
The 3.5 kilometre runway airport, d**kson said, was built at over N65 billion.
He said the clarification was important because of Senator Heineken Logbobiris statements which said the project cost between N120 to N150 billion.
d**kson, who spoke when an Air Peace Embraer Regional Jet landed at the runway, said the facility would open the state to the world by attracting investments; export of agricultural produce; tourism and other economic activities.
According to him, the project was conceived, developed and built with scarce resources.
He added that its completion was part of his administrations promise to accelerate the economic development of Bayelsa, which deserved a better deal in the Nigerian project.
The governor hailed the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) for approving the project.
Chief Operating Officer of Air Peace, Mrs Toyin Olajide, hailed the government for the feat.
She promised that, the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with the state would facilitate regular flight services on the route.
She urged people to take advantage of the flight services to stimulate business.
