Ekiti Spends N16.5bn On Agro-allied Airport

Ekiti State government yesterday disclosed that over N16 billion had been expended in the construction of the state agro-allied airport inaugurated in October last year.

The government made the disclosure during the presentation of the breakdown and the detailed analysis of the N113.5 billion 2023 budget in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.

The special adviser to the governor Biodun on budget, economic planning and performance management,  Mr Niyi Adebayo, said the uncompleted works at the airport were captured in the 2023 budget.

Adebayo who presented the budget analysis alongside the Finance Commissioner in the state, Mr Akin Oyebode explained that only military aircrafts could land in the airport presently.

 Adebayo who added that the control tower, passenger terminal and runaway were yet to be fully completed, stated that the governor Oyebanji administration was committed to growing the state’s economy and enhancing prosperity with adequate provision in the budget.

He noted that funds for further work on the airport which is designed to airlift the agricultural potentials of the state to the world and stimulate economic growth had been earmarked.

 The special adviser said, “We can only land the military aircraft because we don’t have the full work of navigational aids. The military aircraft can land themselves with little or no air from the control tower. So, we need to have a functional control tower, build a new terminal where passengers can wait to board the plane. So, those are the expenditures we need in the New Year; but the runway is very good.

 “And of course, we need to provide necessary lighting infrastructures, so that planes can land in the evening, even daytime when you have a foggy situation because light helps the pilot to see the runway better. So, those are the areas where expenditure needs to go into.”