Ekiti spent N49.7bn on airport project, begins commercial flights

File: Governor Abiodun Oyebanji of Ekiti State.

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Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, on Wednesday said the state has spent N49.7bn on the Ekiti Agro-Allied International Cargo Airport, as commercial flight operations officially commenced.

Oyebanji disclosed this at the inauguration ceremony held at the airport along the Ado–Ijan Road.

He explained that previous administrations invested N14bn in the project, while his government spent over N34bn in the last three years to complete outstanding civil works, installations and regulatory requirements.

Recall that the project began in 2019, while there was a test flight in 2022 during the second tenure of former governor Kayode Fayemi and the incumbent Governor Oyebanji completed the project, culminating in the approval of non-scheduled flight operations late last year and consequent commercial flight operations.

The inaugural commercial flight was a United Nigeria Airlines aircraft conveying passengers from Abuja, including Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele and the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Aviation, Yakubu Adam Kofarmata. The aircraft later departed Ekiti for Lagos with another set of passengers.

Oyebanji said the N14bn previously spent covered compensation, site clearing, regulatory approvals, and major civil works such as runway and pavement construction, the terminal building, parts of the control tower, service roads, fencing and aprons.

He added that since October 2022, his administration had committed over N34bn to completing the terminal building and control tower, perimeter fencing, service roads, runway strip, second-phase compensation, earthworks, drainages and embankments.

The state also funded the installation of an Instrument Landing System and partnered with Reeve Energy Nigeria Ltd. under a PPP arrangement to build an aviation fuel tank.

Construction of the airport staff quarters is also ongoing.

“In total, N49.774bn has been expended directly by the Ekiti State Government,” the governor said.

Oyebanji praised previous administrations for their contributions and described the project as a “collective legacy,” noting that the idea was first conceived under Segun Oni before Fayose and Fayemi advanced it.

He also commended Aare Afe Babalola for donating navigational equipment worth $1.6m and constructing a 100-car capacity parking lot valued at N356.7m.

“With this airport, we are bringing markets closer to our people and bringing the world closer to Ekiti,” the governor said.

Representing the Minister of Aviation, Permanent Secretary Yakubu Adam Kofarmata described the launch as a “historic milestone” for the state and a testament to the Tinubu administration’s commitment to job creation and aviation growth.

Former Governor Fayemi praised Oyebanji for his commitment to completing the project and acknowledged contractors for taking on the work during periods of fiscal constraints.

CCECC Nigeria Ltd., the project’s main contractor, said the airport would drive employment, tourism, logistics, global exports and agricultural investment, describing it as a “new sky gateway” for Ekiti.

Chairman of United Nigeria Airlines, Prof. Obiora Okonkwo, announced that student flight discounts would soon be introduced.

Dignitaries at the event included former Ekiti governors Niyi Adebayo and Ayodele Fayose, all National Assembly members from the state, commissioners, and former deputy governors Abiodun Aluko and Paul Alabi.

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