Oyo state Seeks To Take over Management of Ibadan Airport

Chinedu Eze

Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has expressed the desire of the state government to take over the management of Ibadan airport, and urged the federal government to give the facility a facelift.

The governor made the state’s thinking known when he hosted the Joint National Assembly Committee on Aviation, led by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Aviation, Senator Smart Adeyemi.

Makinde stated that the efficient management of the airport would help spur the state’s economy.

The Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, in a statement, explained that the state was willing to lead the charge to turn around the airport if the federal government would agree to hand it over.

The governor noted that the Ibadan Airport should readily serve as the alternate airport to Lagos, adding that instead of diverting international flights to Accra, Ghana, Ibadan would serve Nigeria better.

While enumerating possible benefits of the Ibadan airport if upgraded, Makinde explained various efforts of his administration aimed at improving the standards of the airport, including the rehabilitation of adjoining roads as well as provision of basic facilities at the airport.

“You can see the calibre of people here today. This tells us how important the issue of Ibadan Airport is to us. The airport, ideally, should be the alternate airport to Lagos. So, we think if Ibadan is fixed properly, it will take away all those headaches of having to go to Ghana.

“We are thinking of how to take over the airport because the model is not to use the state’s funds per se, but to do a public-private partnership, where the state will join up with experts in the field and people with investable money, and we will take over that airport; do all the expansion and see if we can turn it into an international airport.

In his remarks, Senator Adeyemi commended Governor Makinde’s vision, which he said is helping to turn around the state’s economy.

He said that the committee has already observed encroachment on land around the airport, which makes it imperative to enhance safety of the airport and upgrade its equipment.

He said: “We equally observed that there is need for extension of the runway to meet up with international standards; again, the runway is calling for attention. So, our coming here today is an eye opener to some of the situations that require urgent attention.

“As the legislature our duty is to call the attention of the executive to areas where they need to provide funding on one hand.

“Our duty is to make sure that we allow the executive to see areas where there is need for them to provide funding.”
Also speaking, the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Aviation, Hon Nnolim Nnaji, stressed the economic importance of upgrading the nation’s airports, particularly as an alternative to road transportation due to prevailing challenges of insecurity.