We’ll Continue To Invest In Projects That Support Sustainable Development, Says Makinde

Reported by Ayooluwa Afolabi

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde has reiterated that his administration will continue to invest in projects that are of comparative advantage to the state, to support his vision of sustainable development.

He said the upgrade of the Ibadan Airport, Alakia, to an international standard, is the second comparative advantage his administration is exploring towards expanding the economy.

The governor said this yesterday while inaugurating an 11-man Ibadan Airport Upgrade Project Committee, headed by a former Commissioner for Finance in Oyo State, Mr. Bimbo Adekanmbi, at the Executive Chamber of the Governor’s Office, Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan, The Nation reported.

He said his administration invested in the development of agribusiness, which was the first comparative advantage of the state, noting that the upgrade of the airport would support agribusiness and contribute to the expansion of the state’s economy.

The governor said the decision to upgrade Ibadan Airport was taken based on science, logic, and data, noting that it was a strategic investment that would endure.

He added that it had been part of his plans since the inception of his administration.

The state government built a 500,000-litre aviation fuel storage and dispensing facility, built a VIP lounge, and donated a fire truck and pick-up van to the airport as part of measures to upgrade the facility.

Makinde said: “Today marks another milestone in the history of Oyo State, as we inaugurate the committee that will work towards the actualization of the Ibadan Airport upgrade.

“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 in 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 Southwest.

“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 the groundwork is laid to fulfill requirements for building an international airport as stipulated by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).”

(THE NATION)