FG inspects Lafia cargo airport ahead of planned takeover

The federal government has inspected the Lafia cargo airport, in Nasarawa State ahead of the final takeover of the facility.

A team from the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning, led by the permanent secretary, Mrs Suzette Taylor-Lee Chee, paid a courtesy call on Nasarawa state governor, Engineer Abdullahi Sule, at the Government House, on Wednesday, and inspected the facility on Thursday.

The state government under the leadership of the immediate past governor of the state, Senator Umaru Tanko Al-Makura conceived the project as part of the move to open the state to investment opportunities.

The airport was also intended to ease cargo traffic at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja.

The project which was completed by Al-Makura ‘s predecessor, Governor Sule, was commissioned by President Muhammadu Buhari in February 2022.

Sule in July hinted at the plans by the federal government to take over the facility.

“Following concerted attempts by his administration to find a use for the completed Lafia Cargo Airport, the efforts finally paid off with President Muhammadu Buhari announcing the decision by the Federal Government to take over the facility.

“Not only that, the Federal Government has agreed to fully compensate the state for the money expended in building the airport,” the governor had explained.

According to the leader of the federal government team, the inspection was part of the process leading to the refund of the amount expended by the Nasarawa State government which birthed and constructed the facility.

“Part of the procedure of refund is for us to inspect the project before we communicate it to the council.

“We want to assure you that after this inspection, I am sure in the next couple of weeks we will get FEC approval for this project,” the permanent secretary noted.

Responding, Governor Sule thanked the federal government, especially President Muhammadu, for approving the takeover of the airport.

While also thanking members of the team for the inspection visit, Engineer Sule appealed to them to also consider inspecting the bypass linking the airport to Keffi, starting Tanko Al-makura.

“Even though that would be outside your responsibility, I will plead with you to also look at the road. I’m happy you came on the road through Akwanga. But the former governor, as he was building the airport, began the construction of another road that will link to almost Keffi, which will now reduce almost one and a half hours of time from Abuja.

“That’s the purpose of this airport, to link us to Abuja. But it will not be for only the people of Nasarawa state. It will be for the people of Benue, Taraba and other eastern and southern part of the country that come through Lafia,” he stated.

Engineer Sule informed the team that, the Lafia cargo airport has the latest technology, starting from the weather control to the control tower.

He thanked the permanent secretary, Minister of Finance, Hajiya Zainab Ahmed, as well as the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika for their role towards ensuring the takeover of the airport.

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