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Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan
Oyo State Government and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) have agreed to form a synergy to upgrade the 37-year-old Ibadan Airport to international standards.
This was made known, yesterday when FAAN Managing Director, Captain Rabiu Yadudu, led a top management team of the body on a courtesy visit to Oyo State governor, Seyi Makinde, in Ibadan.
Yadudu had sought the collaboration of the Oyo State government to uplift the standard of the airport, urging him to assist in resolving some of the challenges besetting it, including security issues. The governor had said he would want pilgrims from the state to possibly fly from Ibadan to Saudi Arabia and Jerusalem next year.
He said the FAAN management had earlier written a letter to the governor on areas of assistance, saying the resolution of the challenges would enhance the operations and services being delivered by FAAN at the airport.
According to him, the Maintenance and Repair Organisation (MRO) for aircraft has indicated its interest to relocate from Lagos to Ibadan, which is expected to boost the airport economy.
His words: “The management of FAAN has been working consistently to improve the quality and capacity in all aspects of our service quality delivery which include our personnel and our structures, equipment and procedures. We will keep doing this towards achieving our mission and vision as a professional airport operator.’’
Yadudu promised that FAAN would achieve and sustain its service delivery target.
Governor Makinde, in his response, acknowledged the receipt of the letter of request from FAAN, and promised to act on it.
He said the roles the airport would play in advancing the economy of the state could not be over-emphasised,.
“I have made some promises about the airport; I promised this year’s intending pilgrims will fly from the Ibadan airport directly to the Holy Land from next year and I count on FAAN to make this promise achievable.
“We are also thinking of expanding the runway to make it easy for bigger crafts to operate at the airport, and I promise to partner FAAN to make it happen.
“If the runway can be expanded, then having cargo aircraft schedule at the airport would be facilitated. Oyo State government is ready to put its money to make things happen at the airport.’’
