Upgraded Ibadan Airport will connect Oyo to global market, bring investments – Makinde
By Adewale Owoade
Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, says the upgrade of the Samuel Ladoke Akintola Airport to international airport will position Ibadan as a true regional business hub.
Gov Makinde at the groundbreaking ceremony for the upgrade of the airport said it would improve the ease of doing business, and bring in investments in agribusiness, manufacturing and technology sectors.
Recall that the Federal government granted the Oyo State government the approval for the upgrade of the facility, and an 11-man committee headed by a former Commissioner for Finance, Mr Bimbo Adekanmbi, was inaugurated to deliver on the project.
Makinde, noted that the project had been awarded to Messrs Craneburg at the cost of N41 billion, and promised to do everything possible to ensure that the project is delivered in the next 12 months.
“Let me specially thank the members of the committee, who worked on the project in the last six weeks to make it possible for the official groundbreaking ceremony to take place today.
“Some people do not think that upgrading this airport at this time is a good idea, but the decision to upgrade this airport to international standard is based on data and logic. In the next twelve months, this project will be delivered. I will push the envelope.
“The groundbreaking is the first phase. The second phase is the terminal itself. Once we do the runway and air-field lighting, we will have the terminal and they will be delivered about the same time.
“We don’t want to wait. After this groundbreaking, the committee will be working to kick-start the process that will ensure that complementary projects within the airport are also going to start.”
Earlier, Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, congratulated Governor Makinde on the groundbreaking ceremony, describing him as a man of vision and a passionate agent of development in Oyo State.
In his welcome remarks, Air Commodore Victor Ajiboye, the Commander, National Air Defence Corps, Nigerian Air Force, Ikeja, Lagos, and a member of the Ibadan Airport Upgrade Committee, said the completion of the project, would position Ibadan as an economic hub in South-West Nigeria.
The representative of the Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola family, Chief Akinwunmi Akintola, thanked Governor Makinde for remembering and honouring the family with the legacy project.
Also in their separate goodwill remarks, Acting Chairman, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mr Francis Balogun and the representative of Airport Community Development Association, Dr Ogunsesan thanked the governor for the initiative and his vision of upgrading the airport to international standard after 40 years of existence.
The Chairman of the Airport Upgrade Committee, Mr Bimbo Adekanmbi, said the project would promote economic growth and enhance passengers experience.
The event had in attendance Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Bayo Lawal; Acting National Chairman of the PDP, Amb. Damagum; PDP Deputy National Chairman (South) and a former deputy governor of Oyo State, Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja; among others. (NAN)
