His Royal Majesty, Eze-Igwe Williams Ezugwu, a prominent traditional ruler from the South East, has expressed deep concern over the exorbitant prices of flight tickets to southern Nigeria. In a statement issued in Abuja, Eze-Igwe Ezugwu decried the escalating costs, particularly in the South East region, and called for urgent presidential intervention to address this issue.
The traditional ruler singled out Air Peace, led by Chairman Allen Onyema, expressing disappointment that even airlines associated with South Easterners are contributing to the hardship of the Igbo community. He reminisced about the days of Triax Airlines, founded by Igbo philanthropist Prince Arthur Eze, highlighting its commitment to providing free transportation for Igbos. Eze-Igwe Ezugwu emphasized the stark contrast with the present situation, pointing out the irony of it being more affordable to fly to distant locations than within the country.
Questioning the rationale behind the significant price disparity, Eze-Igwe Ezugwu queried why it is more economical to travel from Abuja or Lagos to Borno State than to Enugu or Owerri. He also raised concerns about the relative affordability of flying to Ghana compared to domestic flights within Nigeria.
Urging the federal government to intervene, the traditional ruler emphasized the detrimental impact of high ticket prices on the already marginalized economic and political status of the Igbos.
In his appeal, Eze-Igwe Ezugwu emphasized the need for attention to be drawn to what he perceives as a deliberate act by airlines against southern Nigeria, particularly the South East. He pointed out that the economic burden caused by inflated airline ticket prices exacerbates the challenges faced by the Igbos.
IMAGE: The Whistler
