By Davies Iheamnachor

PORT HARCOURT: The Management of the Port Harcourt International Airport and women from its host community, Ipo Community in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State have reached a peace deal to end the repeated protest and barricading of the entrance to the aviation facility.

Hundreds of women from the community had for the second time in three months, Tuesday, blocked the entrance gate of the International Airport, decrying neglect by management of the organisation.

The women had barricaded the entrance of the only road to the airport early in the morning on Tuesday, singing, dancing and cooking.

The protest by the women of Ipo, one of the hosts of the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa, had led to the temporary disruption of flight operations at the Airport.

But the Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, had following the protest and obsteudtion of travel activities invited the parties.

The Secretary to the State Government, Dr Tammy Danagogo, who addressed newsmen after a closed door meeting between the Governor, women leaders and chiefs of Ipo community, and the Airport management in Government House, Port Harcourt, revealed that the feuding parties have agreed to a mutually understanding.

Danagogo noted that while the women have resolved to withdraw from barricading the access road to the airport, the management of the Federal Government facility has promised to address the concerns of the community in the area of implementing key corporate social responsibility (CSR) policies to meet expectations of host communities.

He said that when the Government got wind of the disruption of access to the airport, it immediately swung into action, and invited all parties to a meeting to resolve the issues.

Speaking, Port Harcourt Airport Manager, Mrs Lynda Ezike, commended the Governor for his quick intervention in resolving the crisis, and assured of the new management’s commitment to addressing the concerns of stakeholders, including Ipo community.

Ezike, who is also the Regional General Manager, South-South of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), said that the management was ready to maintain cordial relationship with host communities, saying that it is only in a peaceful operating environment that the airport business can thrive, with its attendant benefits to all parties.