Seyi Makinde, governor, Oyo State has said the State Government will continue to invest in projects that are of comparative advantage to the State in order to support his vision of sustainable development.
He maintained that the upgrade of the Ibadan Airport, Alakia, to an international standard is the second comparative advantage that his administration is exploring towards expanding the economy of the State.
Governor Makinde stated this while inaugurating an 11-man Ibadan Airport Upgrade Project Committee, headed by Bimbo Adekanmbi, former Commissioner for Finance at the Executive Chamber of the Governor’s Office at Agodi in Ibadan on Wednesday.
“Our administration invested in the development of agribusiness, which is the first comparative advantage of the State, noting that the upgrade of the airport would support agribusiness and contribute to the overall expansion of Oyo State’s economy.
He explained that the decision to upgrade Ibadan Airport was taken based on science, logic and data and that it was a strategic investment that would endure, adding that it had been part of his plans since the inception of his Administration.
Recall that the State Government constructed a 500,000 litre Aviation Fuel Storage and Dispensing Facility, built a new VIP Lounge and also donated a Fire Truck and Pickup Van to the Airport as part of measures to upgrade the facility.
He said, “Today marks another important milestone in the history of Oyo State, as we inaugurate the committee that will work towards the actualisation of the Ibadan Airport upgrade.
Read also: We will upgrade Ibadan Airport in 18 months – Makinde
“They will start with the preliminary activities before the groundbreaking ceremony for an international standard airport in Ibadan.
“We are all excited about this and for good reasons. Our vision for investing on a second comparative advantage of our city to support the comparative advantage in agribusiness is coming together.
“Historically, Ibadan is a nodal city. It was a meeting point for commercial activities and also a stopover as people went to other parts of the country. That was how Ibadan developed. If you take a look at the map of Nigeria, you will see that Ibadan is a major entry point to the Northern part of Nigeria and even some other states of the South-West.
“We have preliminary data to support this move and part of the work this committee will be doing is providing us with the definite numbers through a comprehensive passenger data analysis and ensuring that all the groundwork is laid to fulfil requirements for building an international airport as stipulated by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).
“They will also be carrying out all other stakeholder engagements needed to make this project a success.
“Other vital roles they will be playing include: preconstruction activities such as contractor selection and mobilisation, overseeing procurements, site clearing activities and ensuring that everything is ready for the project’s commencement. Thereafter, they will continue to oversee the execution of the project until it is completed.”
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