Ekiti State Governor Biodun Oyebanji has said that the Ekiti Agro-Allied International Cargo Airport will operate 24 hours a day in a bid to give the route a competitive edge among its peers in the southwest.
The Governor also expressed delight that the state’s economy has recorded significant improvement in the past two and a half years, promising to do more to ensure a more sustainable development of the state and a better living standard for the people
Governor Oyebanji, who stated these on Monday night during the March edition of his monthly media chat, “Meet Your Governor,” said his government intends to make the Ekiti Airport a major hub and a major driver of the economy, attracting more investors to the state and boosting the economic capacities of the citizens.
He explained that his administration has entered into discussions with three major airlines in the country to commence commercial flights at the airport, facilitate air travel, develop tourism, invest more in cargo transportation, and export farm produce to local and international destinations.
While expressing optimism that at least two of the airlines would operate flights to and from the airport, Oyebanji said his administration also hopes to make the route competitive by working hard to install an Instrument Landing System (ILS) that will enable the operation of 24-hour flights in the airport.
The Governor said, “The issue is to make the route profitable and competitive for airlines. If the route is profitable, they will bring their planes. Part of what we are doing is to make it an airport of choice, and by next year, they will be able to run the Hajj and (Christian) pilgrimage.
“To make it an airport of choice, we must put a structure that guarantees 24-hour landing. There is what we call an Instrument Landing System (ILS), which enables night operations and also enables planes to land in extreme weather. ILS, as of today, will cost close to N4.6 billion, but we are determined to get it done.
“We are determined that before the end of this year, we will install ILS at the Ado Airport. If we are able to do that, it will be the second airport in Southwest after Lagos Airport that has such a facility so that aircraft can land at night. We are also talking to a vendor that will provide a hangar for airport services, so it’s a whole gamut of transaction that is going on.”
The Governor also disclosed that a cargo shed is being constructed at the airport to store farm produce and cash crops. He commended the Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, for facilitating its inclusion in the budget.
The Ekiti Agro-Allied International Cargo Airport was approved for non-scheduled flight operation for six months last December. Governor Oyebanji expressed optimism that the airport would be one of the most competitive by the time it commences commercial operations.
