- By Kamil Opeyemi
Governor of Osun, Ademola Adeleke, has on Friday visited the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola promising that his government would complete the MKO Abiola Cargo Airport located in Ido Osun, near the state capital, Osogbo.
Adeleke stated this during a working visit to the former governor of the state in his office in Abuja on Friday.
“I’m concerned about the state of our infrastructure in Osun. Osun remains the only state in the South West without an airport. Osun has a lot of potential, but we are restricted due to lack of infrastructure, particularly our airport.
“We would try our best to resolve all impediments and roadblocks toward the completion of the project. The potential of the airport are enormous. As an administration, we would look into it and collaborate with the Federal Government on the completion of the the project,” Governor Adeleke stated.
Responding, the Minister gave an historical background of the airport, stating that he is committed to seeing the government succeed on the project.
“The Airport in Ido Osun is a very historic one, in fact, it is the most suitable flat plateau in the whole of West Africa for the citing of such an aircraft maintenance hangar.
“As a former governor of the state and minister in the Cabinet of President Muhammadu Buhari, you can be rest assured of his administration’s cooperation and support in the completion of the aircraft maintenance and cargo airport in Osun. In fact, it should now be a thing of bragging for Osun to urgently complete the airport as the State remains the only state in South West Nigeria without an airport,” the Minister noted.
Speaking further, the Minister stated that there is a federal government approval for some funds to be disbursed towards the completion of the airport, saying he will use his remaining days under President Muhammadu Buhari administration to pursue the release of the funds.
“I will use my remaining 42 working days as Minister under the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari to pursue the disbursement of the approved funds to the state government so that the airport can be completed in the shortest possible time,” the minister reiterated.