Some skeptics may not like to agree with me but I cannot hesitate to say that the ongoing construction of the Agro-Allied Cargo Airport seated at Ilishan-Remo, is one of the outstanding signatures of Governor Dapo Abiodun’s sterling performance in Ogun State. Without prejudice to an individual’s right of opinion, it is one project that cannot be wished away because of its numerous benefits to which I shall return shortly for further explanation. Whatever side of the political divide you belong to, before you say ‘jack,’ please, take your time out to see the massive work going on at the site and ask yourself the relevant question of funding sources at a time when the economy, nay global economy, is in doldrums. It is sprawling captivating but money-consuming.
Like the Federal Government, the provision of infrastructure is one of the key priority areas of the administration of Governor Abiodun. This is bearing in mind that infrastructure is a catalyst that promotes rapid socio-economic and industrial growth. Over the years, bridging the infrastructure deficit has become a major concern in the country. And Ogun State is not an exception. In order to close the current deficit gap, experts say, it will require an estimated investment of about $150 billion per annum for at least the next ten (10) years. The gap includes lack of good roads, railway networks, power generation, and transmission, decaying public educational institutions, dilapidated healthcare facilities, and even airports, amongst other infrastructures that drive economic growth. According to available statistics, over 40 percent of productivity handicaps faced by African countries are caused by infrastructure constraints. There is, therefore, no gainsaying the fact that the dearth of key infrastructure in several sectors of the nation’s economy has been a major limiting factor to its growth’s potentials as well as its competitive capacity globally.
However, while the Federal Government has evolved a number of strategies to fund infrastructural projects, including Executive Order 007 on Road Infrastructure Development and Refurbishment Investment Tax Credit Scheme signed into law in 2019 by President Muhammadu Buhari, to encourage private participation in building critical infrastructure, the states have been left alone to grapple with the challenge of financing amidst the declining revenue allocation from the centre.
As in other states of the federation, funding capital projects in a rapidly dwindling global economy has been a major challenge facing the current leadership. But Governor Abiodun is taking it in his own stride. And he is surely not going to shirk in his responsibility to change the narrative because his promise to the electorate is to make Ogun State an envy of others.
In the face of severely limited resources, therefore, work is rapidly and progressively ongoing across the state to build a new network of roads and also rehabilitate the collapsing ones. As a mark of his commitment to achieving economic transformation, one of the gigantic projects that will drive the yearnings of this administration to turn Ogun State into an industrial destination of choice, not only in Nigeria but West Africa sub-region, is already nearing completion. That huge project is the Agro-Allied Cargo Airport which is a product of a vision inspired by the leadership that genuinely believes in building capacity for sustainable economic prosperity for the state and its people.
For the benefit of hindsight, former Governor Gbenga Daniel had envisioned the project as a way of attracting business and investment opportunities to Ogun State, taking cognizance of the advantage of its proximity to Lagos. This was a time when industry owners and importers had to go through terrible nightmares as a result of congestion of the two seaports and international airport in Lagos. Thus, having got the necessary approvals from the Federal Ministry of Aviation and the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), former governor Daniel settled for Ilishan-Remo, a settlement close to Sagamu, as his preferred location and did the groundwork. But he could not complete the project before the end of his tenure.
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Consequently, the responsibility of actualising the dream fell on his immediate successor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, who felt that the proposed Cargo Airport was best for his own people. By guile and intrigues, he took a detour and started an entirely new one at another location called Wasimi, a part of the Egba community (Ogun Central) where he belongs.
On assumption of office of Governor Abiodun, Senator Amosun instigated a fresh power struggle that culminated in the subsequent visit of the Senate Committee on Aviation to the two sites in a bid to resolve the seemingly intractable impasse over the right choice of location. In the final analysis, the representatives of the NCAA told the Senate Committee that there was no record of any approval for the establishment of Wasimi Agro-Allied Cargo Airport, but it had all the necessary documentation for the Ilishan Cargo Airport. That intervention ended the undue ego-tripping that would have aborted the lofty idea.
Though money-spinning, Governor Abiodun has left no one in doubt that his administration is genuinely committed to seeing the successful completion of the project.
According to him, the construction of the Airport which commenced in March 2022 would probably be the fastest constructed airport on the continent. This implies that all things being equal, the state will witness its first official landing of cargo planes in less than four months from now.
The economic importance of this project cannot be overemphasized. When fully completed, it is projected that it will create additional 25,000 jobs for the teeming unemployed youths. “The impact of the agro cargo airport will impact positive effects on hotels and warehouses being constructed in the area. Nigeria Customs and the Nigerian Air force are coming there. We estimate that in the first eighteen (18) months, we will create a minimum of twenty-five thousand (25,000) jobs in that airport. This is not a PowerPoint airport,” Governor Abiodun said.
Apart from employment creation, the project will also open up the state, deepen the development process, and also provide an alternative to the congested Lagos port facilities. In the same vein, it will also shore up state’s revenue generation capacity, which is the right step toward financial self-sufficiency.
In addition to all these, it will facilitate the import of key commodities and machinery, enhance positive investment returns, increase foreign exchange earnings through sales of agricultural products and ultimately boost the state’s profile to become the West African trade hub.
Over the years, the lack of storage facilities for farm produce and the challenges arising from aviation bottlenecks have been the bane of exportation by farmers in Nigeria. Stakeholders are already excited that the completion of the Cargo Airport would tremendously boost the exportation of agricultural and allied products by commercial farmers as well as the importation of farm inputs.
Its central location at Ilishan-Remo will further stimulate economic development through the provision of passenger and cargo services needed to support Nigeria’s emerging economy. And above all, when it becomes fully operational, it will result in increased Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the Nigerian economy and an improved business environment. And, of course, the multiplier effects will cut across various sectors to unleash the potential for industrial development and increased economic activities. These are some of the positive expectations from this laudable project both from the government and private sector stakeholders.
We may not all like the man who is doing the job; and, of course, it is not necessary that we all love his calm disposition, but we must all help him to achieve his desire for the state in as much as the intention is to serve the greatest number of people. In its short, medium, and long-term objectives, the aim of the architects of this project is to reshape the economic trajectory of the state for future generations of our children and children’s children yet unborn.
- Ezekiel is a Lagos-based commentator