TheCable

Hadi Sirika, minister of aviation says the newly inaugurated Ekiti Airport will open up the state to partake actively in global commerce and tourism if fully harnessed and managed.

Sirika said this on Saturday at the official inauguration of the state’s Agro-allied International airport, Ado-Ekiti.

The inauguration followed the landing of the first flight, ATR 42 Nigeria air force plane, piloted by E.A. Balogun.

Sirika, who said the federal government would site a cargo facility at the airport, added that the airport is expected to boost the export of agricultural produce, service educational and health institutions as well as abundant tourism potential in the state.

He described the Ekiti airport as “an extremely important project” which would, in turn, facilitate the import and export of goods and commodities.

“I was at ABUAD, I saw the university, the farm, the industrial park and the hospital. If there is an airport here, it will connect people to this facility and reduce foreign medical tourism. Airports are by no means the best catalysts for economic growth of any state or nation,” the minister said.

“35 percent of global trade by value is moved through airports and $18.6 billion of cargo is moved daily through air transportation. The wealthy among you should take agriculture for example and begin to produce things that you will export to other parts of the world.

“You can be land-locked, but you cannot be sky-locked. We can all see the importance of having a facility like this. Thank you Mr. governor, you have provided this facility for the people of Ekiti state; they should own it.”

On his part, Kayode  Fayemi, governor of Ekiti, expressed satisfaction that the project eventually saw the light of the day, 10 years after its conception during his first administration in 2012.

The airport which is along Ijan-Ado road in the state capital marked the last project inaugurated for use by the administration of Fayemi.

It is expected that Biodun Oyebanji, the state governor-elect, would be inaugurated on Sunday, October 16, 2022, for a term of four years following the expiration on Saturday, October 15 of the four-year tenure of Fayemi.

The outgoing governor, Fayemi, who could not hide his joy, said: “My job is done, Ekiti Kete.”

He also assured the people of the state that the federal roads that are now in dilapidated condition would be given attention to bring relief to their users and complement the newly inaugurated airport project.