Speaking on Thursday during the closing ceremony of the First Enugu Investment Summit, Ugwuanyi said that the recognition would open a new vista in the economy of the state.
The governor said that by approving the license of the airline, President Muhammadu Buhari had shown himself as having the interest of all sections of the country at heart.
“I will like to thank the president for what he has done by choosing Air Peace Airline. This recognition is indeed for all of us,” he said.
Ugwuanyi said that the state would never be the same again having had a successful summit that attracted investors across the world.
“We have not only showcased the vast potentials in the state, but from reactions of participants, it does appear that we have been able to provoke an unprecedented interest from investors across the world.
“The journey to economic prosperity has commenced. The light of the economic dawn that has been lit through this summit will never be allowed to die,” he said.
Ugwuanyi thanked delegates who made the summit a success and pledged to create an enabling environment for interested investors.
Earlier in his presentation, the Chairman of Air Peace Ltd, Chief Allen Onyema, said that the airline would soon commence flights from the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu to China.
Speaking on ‘Investment Opportunities in Rail, Road and Air Transportation,’ Onyema said that it was time for Nigeria to be a hub for West and Central African sub-regions.
“President Muhammadu Buhari in his magnanimity on March 31, 2016 approved for us the right to fly to five different countries and we decided now to make Enugu State the hub.
“The president by this action has shown that he has nothing against an Igbo investment and the Federal Government under him will do more for all of us,” he said.
Onyema said that Air Peace would fly to India, United Arab Emirates, South Africa, Atlanta in the U.S. and China, adding that the China flight would commence in a few months.
“There is no other airline in West and Central Africa that flies direct to China.
“We will use our airline to bring passengers from countries in West and Central Africa to Enugu and move them to China.
“We are going to deploy a cargo plane that will do nonstop flights to Enugu,” Onyema said.
