Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, has assured all that the Ekiti Agro-Allied International Cargo Airport will meet international standards in safety, facilities, and management.
Oyebanji said the state had engaged a reputable airport facility manager, AAC Management Limited, ahead of the commencement of scheduled commercial flight operations.
Speaking on Tuesday in Ado Ekiti while receiving the firm’s top executives led by Managing Director, Christophe Penninck, the governor said his administration considered aviation a key driver of economic growth under its shared prosperity agenda.
He said, “For us as a government, we are desirous of doing well; we are desirous of attracting investors and tourists to the state.
“So, creating access through transportation is key. The conception of the airport during the last administration was a deliberate action aimed at making it a game changer to reposition the transportation system in the state.
“We believe that access to Ekiti State is key to our shared prosperity agenda. We don’t want an airport in name, but one that meets all conditions for 24 hours access and that is why whatever its going to cost us, we are going to put an ILS in place because for the airport to be competitive, we must put in that place standard facilities that every airline will want to land there.
“We will build the traffic. We have done our own traffic studies, as at today, we have close to seven higher institutions in the state. We can also have passengers from parts of Kwara, Kogi, Osun and Ondo states. We are deliberate about our actions and we know that very soon the airport will fulfil its potential.”
Oyebanji said that the Federal Government had already awarded the road to the airport and that the contractor would soon commence work, adding that the ring road linking the airport road would be completed by June this year.
Penninck assured the governor that the airport had the potential for rapid growth as the state is aggressively attracting investors and industrialists, who would invariably need the services of the airport.
Penninck, who disclosed that the airport is already generating revenue for the state, stressed the need to motivate interested airlines to the airport, adding that he was desirous of ensuring that the airport made a profit for the state as well as develop the ability to run itself.
Oyebanji said that his administration had deliberately taken aviation as a major catalyst for growth and development in the bid to actualise this government’s shared prosperity agenda.
He expressed excitement to have the airport as a hub for Hajj and Christian pilgrimage operations, saying the state was making concerted efforts to ensure the Instrument Landing System was installed at the airport before the end of the year for effective night operations.
