Follow Us on Google
By Sunday Ani
Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Usman Ododo, has described President Bola Tinubu’s support for the state’s international airport project at Zariagi, Lokoja, as a demonstration of the Federal Government’s commitment to extending critical infrastructure development to the subnational level.
He stated this earlier today during an inspection visit to the site of the ongoing Kogi State International Airport project, where he assessed the progress of work and expressed satisfaction with the level of construction activities.
The governor, who described the project as a strategic investment in the future of Kogi State, said the initiative reflected Tinubu’s recognition of the developmental needs of states and the importance of providing infrastructure capable of stimulating economic growth, improving connectivity and attracting investment.
He explained that Kogi’s geographical position, bordering several major commercial centres, including the Federal Capital Territory, made an airport a strategic necessity for unlocking the state’s economic potential.
He noted that despite the state’s strategic location and commercial connections, it had operated without its own airport until the intervention of the Tinubu administration, which approved the project and provided support for its execution.
He further disclosed that his administration was committed to monitoring the project closely to ensure that construction progressed according to the required standards and timelines.
Other News
He expressed optimism that the airport would reach an advanced stage of development by the following year, while urging residents to appreciate the infrastructure initiative and its potential long-term benefits.
The governor also challenged critics of the project to visit the site and assess the work first-hand rather than rely on speculation about its feasibility.
“Please, I want them to come here to see things by themselves. It is not an AI thing. You can see the equipment working and they are working day and night. We are not going to make noise about it; we invite them to come and see,” he said.
Providing an update on the construction, the Project Manager, CCECC Nigeria Limited, Kogi State Project Office, Sun Yishi, said work had reached approximately 20 per cent completion, with the current phase focused largely on earthworks for the runway and its associated safety areas.
He explained that the earthworks constituted one of the most demanding stages of the project, requiring extensive excavation, filling, laterite placement and ground preparation before subsequent pavement construction could proceed.
Similarly, the lead consultant, Adebayo Adidipe of Arcade Consultants Limited, put the overall level of completion at approximately 20 to 25 per cent.
He expressed confidence in the project’s progress and commended the support received from the governor, the State Ministry of Transportation, the commissioner and the permanent secretary, noting that issues raised by the project team had received prompt attention.
