By Ayodele Oni
As noise about the much touted cargo airport in Ekiti state continues to dominate social media, the hope of its possible full take off has been raised by the former Technical Adviser on the Cargo International Airport, Air Vice Marshal Adeniyi Ojuawo (retd), who hinted that commercial operations at the airport would commence in October.
The cargo airport was among projects that were hurriedly commissioned few days to the end of tenure of former Governor Kayode Fayemi.
Aside an air force plane which landed at the airport on the day of commissioning, no other flight has been recorded after the event.
Social media platform commentators have taken up the former governor accusing him of using the project to siphon state resources.
Ojuawo, the project consultant, now a House of Representatives member-elect, on Tuesday assured the people of the state that the project is on course.
According to him, the runway of the airport, which began during the tenure of former governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, has been tested with a test flight, adding that other planes had successfully landed and taken off at the facility.
Ojuawo who spoke in Ado Ekiti, explained that the state Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, has given the go-ahead to deliver the project by October for passenger operation.
“As it is, it can take daylight, good weather flights. We are already talking to airlines in the country and everything will soon be finalized.
“This project has come to stay and we will soon see the results of the vision of the former Governor, Dr Fayemi.”
The lawmaker-elect, who dismissed insinuations in some quarters that the airport was unnecessary, a waste of resources and consequently abandoned by Oyebanji, said the airport would enhance the socio-economic development of the state.
“The airport will bring about transformation. As a cargo airport, it will help this state and its neighbours being agrarian areas.
“It will open the state to the international market. It will as well create employment opportunities and as well attract numerous developments.
“Contractors are working day and night to deliver the first phase of the project to the admiration of the former governor, Fayemi, who is doing everything possible, even outside the office in seeing to the success of the laudable project.
“Major equipment and facilities needed in the airport are being put in place in line with international standards.
“Anyone that is not here cannot believe the level of work the airport has reached. As you can see, the passengers’ terminal building is nearing perfection; the control tower will be delivered soon, meteorological garden completed, among other progress made on the airport project.
“We heard a lot of things, but the truth of the matter is, anywhere in the world, airport construction is not like a residential building that you can finish in one breath, the work here will continue.
“Don’t forget recently, President Muhammadu Buhari commissioned a project at the airport in Lagos, you can remember when that airport was opened.”
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