Ekiti airport project to continue despite unfriendly economy, says Fayemi

The Cargo Airport, currently being built by the Ekiti State government in Ado Ekiti, will continue, notwithstanding the present unfriendly economy, Gov. Kayode Fayemi has said.

The governor, who said this on Friday in Ado Ekiti, while on an inspection visit to some project sites, embarked upon by his administration, said he was confident that the project would be completed on schedule.

According to him, the current economic downturn being experienced globally will not be allowed to stop the completion of the airport, given its relevance to the economic growth of the state.

It was reported that the airport project formally commenced in October 2019 at a ceremony attended by Fayemi, the Minister of Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika, a legal luminary, Chief Afe Babalola (SAN) and others.

It was also reported that the project is sited on Ado Ekiti-Ijan Ekiti road in the state capital.

Although the governor admitted that the project required huge financial commitment and well-defined technical expertise, he, however, said that his administration would go ahead with it and ensure its inauguration, along with others, before October 2022, to mark his third year in office.

According to Fayemi, the project is pivotal to his administration, adding that no effort will be spared to ensure its completion.

“I am confident that this project will be inaugurated before I leave office. We are doing everything possible to ensure that we deliver alongside other projects we are working on,” he said.

The governor also listed the establishment of an agriculture zone, where agro-allied factories would be located in order to further boost the state’s industrial development, as another legacy project of his administration.

“It is an agro-based industrial hub of our state. A juice processing factory will be there. Dangote Mill, JMK Mill and our Dairy Farm at Ikun-Ekiti will also be part of it.

“Just go and check what the government and Promasidor Nigeria Limited are doing at Ikun-Ekiti. We have brought the 400 local and foreign cows we want to crossbreed to produce 1,000 litres of milk daily.

“Although it is true that resources are very scarce, nevertheless, with innovation, we shall ensure that we fulfill our promises to the people of the state,” the governor said.

It was also reported that other projects visited by the governor for on-the-spot assessment of their level of completition included the Ekiti State Civic Centre and the New Oja Oba market, among others.