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The Governor of Nasarawa State, Sule Al-Makura, has described the late former Deputy Governor of Nasarawa State, Senator Solomon Ewuga, as a man who dedicated his life to the service of God and humanity.
Speaking at Ewuga’s funeral in Alushi community of Nassarawa-Eggon Local Government Area of the state on Saturday, the governor stated that the deceased was a global citizen who related with everyone freely, irrespective of religion or tribal affiliations, and who believed in mentoring the younger generation.
“Whenever Ewuga visited me was to ask for one thing or the other for others or a community and not for himself,” Sule said.
Aged 70, Ewuga died after a prolonged illness in an Egyptian hospital on September 24 where he was receiving treatment for an undisclosed ailment.
Ewuga was also a Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration, and a senator who represented Nasarawa North in the 7th Senate.
Amongst the dignitaries that attended the funeral prayers were Governor Sule; the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in 2023 general election, Mr. Peter Obi; the first civilian governor of the state, Senator Abdullahi Adamu; a former Minister of Information, Labaran Maku; and Senator Umaru Al-Makura.
Also in attendance were religious and traditional leaders, all former deputy governors of the state, the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda; Joshua Dariye; Mrs Josephine Piyo, the Deputy Governor of Plateau State; and Minister of Special Duties and Inter-governmental Affairs, Zephaniah Jisalo.
Friends and associates of the former minister, present and former state and National Assembly members from Nasarawa and Plateau States, among others, were also on ground to pay their last respects to the deceased.
Also, Maku who spoke on behalf of the former deputy governors of the state, described the death as a personal loss, that of the Eggon nation, the state and the entire country.
He called on leaders to be united and prioritise the interests of the state and the people and desist from politics that could bring destruction and division.
“This is the third former deputy governor we are burying, and I pray that this one will teach us something, to know the emptiness of life, to unite and develop the state for the sake of our people,” he said.
Earlier, Josephine Dokotri-Ewuga, wife of the deceased, described him as a lovely husband and father who always wanted to help the vulnerable in society to make their lives worthwhile.
She stated that her husband was paying school fees for a lot of children at various levels of education, adding that he would do everything possible to ensure that he helped the children whose parents did not have anything to be something in life.
The late deputy governor’s wife said that her husband lived a good life, adding that she was sure he is resting at the bosom of the Lord Jesus Christ.
![](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=*Akwa%20Ibom%20Achieves%20Another%20Milestone%20as%20FG%20Designates%20Victor%20Attah%20Airport%20International%20Airport*nAkwa%20Ibom%20Achieves%20Another%20Milestone%20as%20FG%20Designates%20Victor%20Attah%20Airport%20International%20Airport%20<!--%20wp:html%20--><div%20class="sharethis-inline-share-buttons"></div><p><strong>*Airport%20to%20receive,%20process%20international%20passengers</strong></p><p><strong>*Elated%20Gov%20Eno%20thanks%20FG,%20says%20state%20govt%20will%20build%20cargo%20terminal,%20residential%20houses%20for%20airport%20staff</strong></p><p><strong>*Targets%20Q1%202026%20for%20first%20international%20flight</strong></p><p>Kasim%20Sumaina%20in%20Abuja</p><p>The%20Federal%20Government%20on%20Thursday%20designated%20the%20airport%20in%20Uyo,%20known%20as%20Victor%20Attah%20Airport%20as%20international%20airport%20which%20would%20henceforth%20receive%20and%20process%20international%20passengers.</p><p>The%20airport,%20before%20now%20was%20local,%20and%20with%20this%20approval,%20the%20process%20for%20converting%20to%20full%20international%20operations%20would%20commence.</p><p>The%20government,%20through%20the%20minister%20of%20aviation%20and%20aerospace%20development,%20Festus%20Keyamo,%20while%20making%20the%20announcement%20in%20Abuja%20when%20he%20hosted%20the%20governor%20of%20Akwa%20Ibom%20State,%20Pastor%20Umo%20Eno,%20said%20the%20airport%20has%20all%20standard%20facilities%20that%20would%20make%20it%20compete%20with%20other%20international%20airports%20across%20the%20country.</p><p>Keyamo%20also%20said%20the%20airport%20has%20all%20the%20modern%20facilities%20with%20a%20standard%20MRO%20and%20runaway%20of%20over%20three%20kilometres,%20which%20can%20accommodate%20bigger%20aircraft.</p><p>According%20to%20him,%20“With%20the%20facilities%20available%20at%20the%20airport,%20there%20is%20no%20reason%20why%20Uyo%20airport%20should%20not%20be%20designated%20as%20international%20airport%20to%20process%20international%20passengers.</p><p>“That%20is%20why%20we%20are%20here%20today%20with%20all%20relevant%20government%20agencies%20including%20the%20customs,%20NiMet,%20FAAN,%20NCAA%20and%20others%20to%20set%20up%20a%20joint%20team%20that%20would%20commence%20the%20process%20of%20transmitting%20from%20local%20operations%20to%20international%20operations.</p><figure%20class="wp-block-image%20size-large%20is-resized"><img%20width="741"%20height="1024"%20src="https://global.ariseplay.com/amg/www.thisdaylive.com/uploads/image-2181-741x1024.png"%20alt=""%20class="wp-image-1150063"%20/></figure><p>“What%20we%20want%20to%20tell%20you%20today%20is%20that%20we%20are%20designating%20Uyo%20airport%20as%20an%20international%20airport.%20What%20is%20left%20is%20to%20tick%20the%20boxes%20and%20set%20a%20date%20for%20operations%20to%20begin.”</p><p>He%20said:%20“We%20will%20come%20to%20Uyo%20with%20the%20team%20and%20representatives%20of%20all%20relevant%20agencies%20that%20work%20at%20the%20airport%20to%20access%20the%20facilities%20and%20tick%20the%20boxes%20for%20what%20is%20available%20and%20what%20would%20be%20needed%20for%20the%20airport%20to%20fully%20become%20an%20international%20airport.”</p><p>While%20responding,%20the%20governor,%20appreciated%20the%20federal%20government%20and%20the%20minister%20for%20the%20approval%20and%20noted%20that%20the%20airport%20is%20well%20equipped%20for%20the%20international%20operations.</p><p>Eno,%20further%20stated%20that%20the%20Akwa%20Ibom%20State%20government%20will%20construct%20a%20cargo%20terminal%20and%20residential%20buildings%20for%20the%20staff%20of%20the%20airport.</p><p>“What%20we%20are%20building%20is%20an%20ecosystem%20at%20the%20airport.%20We%20want%20everything%20within%20the%20airport%20environment.%20We%20will%20build%20a%20cargo%20terminal,%20which%20is%20already%20captured%20in%20the%202026%20budget.</p><p>“We%20will%20also%20ensure%20the%20100%20units%20of%20houses%20under%20construction%20be%20used%20to%20ensure%20the%20proper%20settling%20down%20of%20workers%20at%20the%20airport.%20My%20target%20is%20by%20end%20of%20first%20quarter%20of%202026,%20let%20the%20first%20international%20plane%20take%20off%20from%20Uyo.”</p><p>With%20the%20designation,%20Governor%20Eno,%20through%20sustained%20engagement%20and%20strategic%20leadership,%20has%20again%20delivered%20a%20significant%20win%20for%20the%20state.%20The%20achievement%20further%20strengthens%20Akwa%20Ibom’s%20rising%20profile%20as%20a%20regional%20aviation%20hub%20and%20underscores%20his%20administration’s%20unwavering%20commitment%20to%20opening%20new%20doors%20of%20opportunity%20for%20citizens,%20investors,%20and%20visitors%20alike.</p><p>This%20landmark%20development%20elevates%20Victor%20Attah%20International%20Airport%20into%20the%20category%20of%20Nigerian%20airports%20authorised%20for%20international%20traffic,%20unlocking%20vast%20opportunities%20for%20global%20connectivity,%20tourism%20expansion,%20business%20growth,%20and%20increased%20foreign%20investment.</p><p>The%20Victor%20Attah%20International%20Airport,%20formerly%20Akwa%20Ibom%20International%20Airport,%20is%20located%20near%20Uyo,%20the%20capital%20of%20Akwa%20Ibom%20State%20in%20Nigeria.</p><p>Renamed%20in%202018%20to%20honor%20former%20governor%20Obong%20Victor%20Attah,%20it%20was%20first%20opened%20in%202009%20and%20has%20been%20expanded%20to%20handle%20large%20aircraft.%20The%20airport%20serves%20as%20a%20regional%20hub%20and%20a%20showcase%20for%20the%20area’s%20culture%20and%20infrastructure.</p><p> 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