Mixed reactions trail proposed Ogun agro-allied airport

Stakeholders in the aviation sector have expressed mixed concerns over the proposed cargo airport by the Ogun State government.

While some justified the investment on the grounds that the state is not only strategic but has adequate commodities for export to generate revenue, others say this airport may become another ‘White Elephant’ project, as the Lagos airport is still underutilised and already processing cargoes coming from the Western part of the country.

The Ogun State government, in partnership with the former President Olusegun Obasanjo, said it plans to commission an agro-allied airport for commodities in the state.

The airport authorities say the airport will facilitate the transportation of agro-allied commodities within and outside the country.

Governor Dapo Abiodun had earlier explained that the project was duly supported by the ex-president cum farmer. He noted that the impact of the global Covid-19 pandemic has made it imperative to ensure adequate protection of the food systems.

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However, John Ojikutu, aviation security consultant and secretary-general, Aviation Safety Round Table Initiative (ASRTI) told Businessday that Ogun State started the planning of a cargo airport way back into the regime of the former governor, Gbenga Daniel.

Being a member of the committee set up by Daniel, Ojikutu said he observed the airport was politically motivated because the governors chose a preferred location as against what he (Ojikutu) considered and suggested then as a safe location away from inbound and outbound traffic.

“Governor Ibikunle Amosun came in and shifted the airport to another conflicting traffic route in his family land area. In all these, does Ogun State need the airport as a priority to the numerous bad roads in the state? What major agricultural produce has the state for export outside the country or for transportation within the country?

“There are tens of commercial roads that need reconstruction beyond repairs that can improve the economy of the state; they include the Agbara/Otta road that links the major industrial estate in the county to Abeokuta; the state derives 70 percent of its IGR from Agbara.

“There are roads like Papalanto/Ishagamu that link the three major cement factories at Shagamu/Ewekoro/ Ibese all in Ogun State. There are the interstate roads of Abeokuta/Lagos, Abeokuta/ Ibadan, Abeokuta/Shagamu, amongst others all in deplorable conditions and need urgent attention for the economic development of the state than any airport that has no immediate cargo or passengers to carry and therefore no reasonable economic input for the state,” he explained.

Businessday’s checks show that out of the annual 15 million passengers processed annually by 26 airports across the country, Lagos airport alone processes 10 million passengers, while Abuja processes about 2.5million passengers.

Port Harcourt, Enugu and Owerri airport process about 1.5 million passengers. The remaining 21 airports share one million passengers and are mostly maintained by revenues generated from the Lagos airport.

Aviation analysts have said such huge investments in airport projects are mere waste of public resources and should have been invested in basic infrastructural amenities such as roads, schools and health care amenities, amongst others.

For instance, Akwa Ibom, Delta, Bauchi, Jigawa, Kebbi and Enugu States, have spent N20 billion, N17 billion, N15 billion, N17 billion, N15 billion and N17 billion, respectively, on airport projects, which, according to stakeholders, have done little or nothing to improve their economies.

Seyi Adewale, CEO- Mainstream Cargo Limited argued that Ogun State is truly a viable and strong area for agro-allied produce and products, adding that any thoughts or strategy to consummate and accentuate the gains thereof is a welcome initiative.

Adewale further argued that in respect of building an airport project around agro-allied business, setting up an airport for this specialized purpose should be considered only one option amongst several options and a SWOT analysis could now be implemented to know and understand the most viable option amongst many other considerations.

“I particularly would have preferred an option whereby Ogun State creates agro-allied village that is big, vast and designated a Free Trade Zone (FTZ) and go into partnership with the Federal Government, Lagos State Government, Nigeria Customs Service, Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA), Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, (FAAN) to develop and create a special throughput from this FTZ directly to Lagos airport and agreements could be reached on revenue sharing arrangements.

“This synergy could be a great game changer and a model to be adopted by other regions with similar joint capabilities,” he suggested.

He recalled the synergy between Kebbi State and Lagos State whereby Kebbi produces the rice for Lagos purposes and Lagos has now created a whole economy round it with the development of an industrial rice mill/ plant that has the capacity to employ directly and indirectly thousands of workers.

He added that such a related approach would be innovative, progressive, cost-saving, job creating, and ensure our economic sustainability and wellness.