Oyo State governor, ‘Seyi Makinde, has disclosed that his administration has secured the approval of President Bola Tinubu to upgrade the Ibadan Airport to an international airport.
He made the disclosure on Wednesday, maintaining that the upgrade of the facility would commence in the next three weeks.
The project, the governor stated in a statement by his Special Adviser (Media), Sulaimon Olanrewaju, would include the construction of a new terminal, runway and other structural features.
Governor also added that the upgrading of the Ibadan Airport would be handled by experts and delivered to standard.
Governor Makinde made this known when he received the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hassan Baba Abubakar, at the Governor’s Office, Ibadan.
Makinde said his administration had spent the last five years turning around the state’s economy. He added that it had identified the need for the upgrade of the Ibadan Airport as being central to its economic expansion agenda.
He added that his government’s resolve to build infrastructure that targets the economic expansion agenda has also seen it investing resources on the 110-kilometre Ibadan Circular Road.
He stated that the administration would consider the request by the Air Force for land for its post-retirement housing scheme on the Circular Road corridor.
Makinde said: “Since I came into office, this administration has focused on education, agriculture, health and expansion of our economy.
“We have been talking to the Presidency. We got a response from them early this week that the president has graciously approved my request for Ibadan Airport to be upgraded.
“I will be in Abuja soon to get the documents relating to the approval. And within three weeks, we will start the project. We will expand the runway and build a new terminal.”
The governor appreciated the Chief of Staff for his officers’ effort in working with sister security agencies to secure Oyo State. He urged that the cordial relationship between the Force and the people of the state be maintained.
According to him, the Air Force has been a major contributor to maintenance of internal security in the state. Makinde said its personnel have been working closely with Operation Burst.
He equally noted that his administration has remained committed to working with the Air Force to deliver the Air Force Base in Ajia, Ibadan. He stated that his promise of a speedy completion of the road that leads to the base would be kept.
Makinde explained that the government is fixing several roads along the Air Force Base axis. He said this would facilitate easy movement of personnel and equipment.
He said the Ajia-Airport Road with spur to Amuloko, the Amuloko-Dagbolu-Ijebu Igbo roads, are among the roads being attended to around the axis.
Earlier in his speech, the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Abubakar described the governor as a visionary leader. He thanked Makinde for his support to the Air Force.
He acknowledged the governor’s focus on economic development and enhancing security in the state. He said the acquisition of 60 hectares of land for the Air Force Base at Ajia and provision of security operational vehicles were commendable efforts of the governor.
Abubakar, however, urged the governor to expedite action on the ongoing 10km Ajia-Airport Road so as to ease movement of his Force’s activities.
He assured that the Force would continue to support the state and also build on the mutual relationship with the state.
