NAF Restates Commitment to Ekiti Cargo Airport Project

NAF Restates Commitment to Ekiti Cargo Airport Project

Saturday, November 13, 2021 7:22 am



L-R: Air Officer Commanding Logistics Command, NAF Lagos, AVM C.E. Ohwo; Deputy Governor of Ekiti State, Otunba Bisi Egbeyemi; Ekiti State Governor Dr. Kayode Fayemi; Chief of Policy and Plans /Representative of the Chief of Air Staff, AVM R.N. Ekeh; Secretary to the State Government, Hon Biodun Oyebanji; and Director Air Traffic Services HQ NAF, Air Commodore A.H. Amesinlola; shortly after an inspection of site for the Air Force Base at the new Airport being constructed in Ado- Ekiti… on Friday.

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…Inspects proposed Air Force Base site

The Nigeria Air Force (NAF) has reiterated its plans to collaborate with Ekiti State Government in the development of the State’s Cargo airport, as a team from the office of the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Oladayo Amao, on Friday inspected the site meant for the construction of the Air Force Base within the airport.
The team led by the Chief of Policy and Plans, AVM Remigus Ekeh, during a visit to Governor Kayode Fayemi in his office in Ado Ekiti before the inspection tour, disclosed that the visit was a follow up to the Governor’s initiative which he discussed with the former Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar at the Force Headquarters, Abuja last year.
AVM Ekeh said he was delighted seeing that the initiative has experienced tremendous progress within the last one year that it was conceived.
He restated the commitment of the Air Force in ensuring the country is peaceful and prosperous and commended Governor Fayemi for releasing a parcel of land at the airport for the establishment of a base to strengthen the force efforts at tackling the present security challenges in the country.
“We thank you for fulfilling your promise of giving us a portion of land at the international cargo airport for the air force to set up a base. We are very grateful and we will continue to ask for your corporation especially at this time when the nation is facing great security challenges”, AVM Ukeh said.
Speaking, Governor Fayemi, who presented the aerial survey document of the allotted portion to the team noted that the presence of the Air Force Base at the cargo airport would strengthen security architecture and efforts at restoring sanity and security in the country.
He explained that the former Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Abubakar had promised that the space would be used as part of the central command of operation in the country, considering the strategic location of Ekiti to States in the central area including Kogi, Kwara, Niger and the FCT and as well as its straddling with other states in the West.
The Governor, while urging the Force to accelerate the actualization of the initiative, said the state government was set to present the Certificate of Occupancy to NAF and work with them in implementing their plans for the space. He added that the main contractor handling the airport project had promised to deliver by August next year.
“I am delighted that you are still very much committed to this initiative. On our part, we have done the aerial survey we have identified on the basis of earlier discussion with the Air Force and I will present to you that portion that is meant for the NAF within the airport operations and what we will plead for is accelerated development.
“This is not just within our purview but within your purview as well but our vision and going by the timetable that we have from the main contractor the airport should be ready by August 2022.
“So, once you take your own portion of land at the airport do all that is necessary we will be happy to quickly make available the Certificate of Occupancy to the NAF and then work with you to attain the plans that you have for the site that has been located to the NAF”

Governor Fayemi, on 17 March handed over the construction of the state Agro-Allied Cargo Airport 3.2 kilometres runway to the main contractor, CCECC Nigeria Limited, to commence work.
The governor, described the project as a “promise made and kept for the overall development of the state.”
The same week, he presented a cheque of N500 million to about 700 landowners whose lands were acquired for the project. The exercise took place at the conference hall at the Governor’s office.
He said the construction of the airport runway pavement would be completed within 15 months in line with the timeline agreed with the contractors. He was represented at the occasion by Deputy
Deputy Governor, Otunba Bisi Egbeyemi.
According to him, “No doubt, Ekiti is a landlocked state that borders with other landlocked states like Kwara, Osun, Edo, except Ondo that has sea. The situation has made it difficult for our people in Ekiti State and the neighbouring states to transport goods, most especially agricultural products, to both local and international markets.
“The establishment of this agro-allied cargo airport will in no small measure improve the socio-economic development of our dear state when completed.”.
The Technical Adviser on the Airport Project, Air Vice Marshal Adeniyi Ojuawo (rtd), said the airport is a legacy project of the Fayemi administration, and one that would change the face of the state economy.

The AfDB Connection

Two years ago, Governor Fayemi visited the AfDB President, Dr Akinwumi Adesina at the organisation’s headquarters in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire.

Fayemi and Adesina at AfDB headquarters in 2019

The projects which the AfDB expressed readiness to support are the Ekiti Airport, the Ekiti Knowledge zone (a smart city to promote knowledge economy) and the agriculture processing zone project


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