Osubi Airport Reopening Excites Delta Government

The Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, has expressed delight at the decision of the federal government to reopen the Osubi Airport in Okpe Local Government Area in the Warri axis of the state, yesterday, more than one year after it was shut to passengers.

Until its reopening yesterday, the Osubi Airport, which became operational 22 years ago as the only air transportation facility in Delta State, had been shut down for over 16 months.

Hon. Oborevwori, who represents the Okpe Constituency in the State House of Assembly, described the occasion as “the remaking of history”, saying that his excitement reflected the mood within the state government and the state at large.

While noting that the Nigerian aviation statistics of passenger traffic for the Osubi facility was significantly high even as far back as 2015, the Speaker said that the social and economic importance of the reopening, especially for the oil and gas industry, needed not be overemphasised.

As a result of the closure of the Osubi Airport to business, the loss of economic benefits to Delta State Government and the Okpe/Warri area where the facility is located was huge, he observed.

Oborevwori said, “Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, we are here to witness the re-making of history. I say this because on the 17th of April, 1999 when the Osubi Airport was commissioned, it was first of its kind in the state. It attracted headlines as a major breakthrough in air transportation in the state.

“Unfortunately, following controversy involving aviation service providers and management of the airport, it was closed in February, 2020.