By Toba Ajisafe
The Chief of Staff to Governor Rauf Aregbesola of the State of Osun, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola over the weekend said that when completed, Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) International Airport, located in Ido-Osun would boost social and economic growth of the South West states.
He maintained that the strategic location of Osun, sharing boundaries with Oyo, Ekiti, Kwara and Ondo states would make the airport central hub of commerce, with the combination of commercial and cargo services at the airport.
Speaking while receiving the management team of a Turkish construction firm, Biray Group in Governor’s Office, Abere, Oyetola said governor Aregbesola is committed to the completion of the airport, recalling that “it is supposed to be a partnership with the federal government, but it is unfortunate that the federal government during the regime of former President Goodluck Jonathan was not forthcoming on the project”.
According to him, “the governor has always been thinking out of the box, you can’t talk about commerce and economy without necessary transport infrastructures. We have lot of things to our advantage regarding the prospects of MKO Abiola International Airport. Osun is centrally located, sharing boundaries with about five states.
“We also have energy advantage because we have electricity distribution centre in Osogbo. Aregbesola discovers that we have to harness these advantages, hence the establishment of the MKO Abiola airport so that people can fly down and explore the socio-economic potentials of Osun.
“It is going to be a combination of both commercial and cargo airport. The airport would be completed before the Aregbesola leaves office in 2018. There are competent people in the state Ministry of Works that would collaborate with your company on the project”, Oyetola remarked.
Earlier in his remark, the technical director of Biray Group, Mr Salih Kebelek assured that the construction firm possess the technical expertise and equipment to complete the airport in good time, stressing that “we came to Nigeria in 2002, we have investments in Nigeria and we are a force to be reckoned with in the construction industry because of our exploits in the successful handling of projects across the country”.
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The integrated Governor wishing you and your cabinet the best this life has to offer. I will hope that the infrastructure finished before you leave office. Thanks you all.
I'm happy to hear this...we pray for the government of Osun on this project....but don't we have prominent indigenous or historical people we can name the airport after...Like Rauf Aregbesola international airport?