Governor Biodun Oyebanji of Ekiti State and the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Oladayo Amao on Thursday performed the ground-breaking ceremony for the construction of the Nigeria Air Force base at the Ekiti Agro Allied International Airport.
Speaking at the elaborate ceremony at the site of the base in in Igbemo –Ekiti Governor Oyebanji said the project was aimed at developing a new frontier of economic activities, strengthening security architecture and tourism development in the state, adding that as a land locked state, there was urgent need to open and connect the economy to the rest of the world.
While noting that the State was already driving towards establishing an aviation economy by taking advantage of its geography and nearness to the political and commercial capitals of the nation, the Governor added that without aviation and security infrastructure, the state’s ambition to grow tourism infrastructure and prosperity agenda for the people would remain a mirage.
Oyebanji posited that the turning of the sod was in fulfilment of the strategic vision of expanding security architecture and air military presence in the state, recalling that one of the reasons the state opted for the airport with the capacity to land any aircraft including military, was to ensure adequate and effective security of the people.
He stated further that the establishment of an Airport in the State was in fulfilment of the overall vision of his administration to make Ekiti the ultimate medical tourism destination in West Africa with the first class medical services being provided at Afe Babalola Multisystem Hospital and other tertiary medical facilities such as Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado-Ekiti and Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido-Ekiti.
While commending the contributions of the Chairman, Organizing Committee of the Airport Project, AVM Afolabi Ojuawo (rtd.), the Governor called on Ekiti indigenes at home and in the diaspora to emulate him by using their position to attract development to the state and boost its economy.
He solicited the support of residents to cooperate with investors in the State to record seamless developmental programme as the state would continue to witness influx of investors who would need partnership as well as land.
Amao said Nigerian Air Force had been employing airpower in support of the overall to tackle security situations such as terrorism, insurgency, armed banditry and kidnapping adding that part of the measures to urgently addressing the challenges was to establish new bases in strategic locations of which Ekiti was benefitting from.
Credit: thenationonlineng.net
