By Ogenyi Ogenyi, Uyo

Akwa Ibom State Governor Umo Eno has reaffirmed plans to expand the Ibom Air fleet and operationalise the Aircraft Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility at Victor Attah International Airport.

Eno disclosed this during meetings with SAMCO Group Europe and Airbus in Montreal, Canada, ahead of the pre-delivery inspection of Ibom Air’s latest Airbus A220-300 aircraft.The governor met SAMCO Group Europe CEO Constant Van Shani to explore a partnership for managing and operating the MRO facility.

He said the proposed partnership would strengthen aircraft maintenance capacity, support technical training and technology transfer, create skilled jobs and develop a local aviation workforce. Eno said the state had invested significantly in completing the MRO facility and wanted the partnership to extend beyond consultancy to include aircraft maintenance and technical support.

The governor also met Airbus Vice President of Sales for Africa, Hadi Akoum, and thanked the manufacturer for its partnership with Ibom Air. He said the airline was central to Akwa Ibom’s plans for tourism, connectivity, trade and investment, adding that the state would continue making strategic investments to ensure its commercial viability.

Akoum described Ibom Air as a major Airbus customer in Africa and highlighted the capabilities of the A220-300. Eno said the engagements were part of a broader strategy linking fleet expansion with maintenance capacity, technical training and technology transfer.

By Aga Samuel Imoter, Jalingo

The Justice, Development and Peace Commission (JDPC), in collaboration with Beautiful Gate Handicapped Centre, has distributed 100 wheelchairs to persons living with disabilities in Jalingo, Taraba State.The mobility aids were presented to beneficiaries at the Catholic Pastoral Centre, Mile Six, as part of efforts to promote inclusion, dignity and independent living

JDPC Coordinator, Rev. Fr. Clement Ignatius Timba, said the initiative was motivated by the need to address mobility challenges faced by persons with disabilities, particularly those unable to afford assistive devices.

He said the intervention was intended to promote social inclusion and improve beneficiaries’ participation in education, economic activities and community life.“The Church believes in the dignity of every human being. We are all creatures of God, and nobody should be excluded because of disability or any other circumstance,” Timba said.

He called for stronger collaboration among the Taraba State Government, development partners, civil society and faith-based organisations to provide sustainable support for persons with disabilities. Timba said mobility assistance should be complemented by skills acquisition, education, employment opportunities, entrepreneurship and access to start-up capital.

A representative of civil society organisations and the National Human Rights Commission in Taraba commended the initiative and urged the organisers to extend the programme to rural communities. Some beneficiaries described the intervention as timely and appealed for additional support in healthcare, education, vocational training and economic empowerment.

From Noah Ocheni

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, has congratulated Dr. Hassan Abdulrahman Ocholi on his appointment as the North-Central representative on the Board of Trustees of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund).

Akume spoke on Friday in Abuja when Ocholi paid him a courtesy visit following his appointment by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The SGF expressed confidence in Ocholi’s ability to contribute to the board’s work and urged him to deploy his experience towards supporting the Federal Government’s efforts to improve Nigeria’s tertiary education sector.

President Tinubu approved Ocholi’s appointment on July 3, 2026, as the representative of the North-Central geopolitical zone. The TETFund Board of Trustees provides strategic oversight of the Fund, which supports public tertiary institutions through interventions in areas including infrastructure, equipment, research, academic staff development and other institutional needs.

Akume urged Ocholi to approach the assignment with dedication and contribute to strengthening the impact of TETFund interventions across beneficiary institutions. Ocholi’s appointment adds to the board’s regional representation as TETFund continues to support the development of Nigeria’s tertiary education system.