Cross River Governor, Ben Ayade, yesterday, disclosed the floating of the state-owned Cally Air will help unlock the economic potential of Cross River.
Cally Air, yesterday, made its maiden flight into Margaret Ekpo International Airport, Calabar from Lagos en route to Abuja.
Addressing journalists shortly after the aircraft touched down, Governor Ayade said it was a dream come true,
He said; “It was a dream we had in 2017, occasioned by the high influx of traffic into Calabar and the monopoly of some airlines dominating the Calabar route.”
The governor said the high cost of flight tickets, occasioned by the monopolistic tendencies of these airlines, made it “imperative as a government, in spite of the fact that we are performing beyond our financial carrying capacity, to start up Cally Air. And that dream has become a reality today.”
Reiterating that the airline is wholly owned by the Cross River State government, Ayade said no loan was obtained to acquire the aircraft.
“Cally Air belongs to Cross River State. No loan, no facilities were obtained and it is one hundred percent a property of the citizens of Cross River State.
“I don’t own it, aero contractors does not own it. No one has a percentage share. The recruitment was done by aero contractors, but we have a responsibility to ensure the sensitivity and ethnic differences in Cross River is reflected.”