The proposed Kogi International Cargo Airport is expected to create between 2,000 and 3,000 direct and indirect jobs when completed, the Federal Government has said.
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, disclosed this on Tuesday during the groundbreaking ceremony for the project in Zariagi, Adavi Local Government Area of Kogi State, Naija News reports.
Keyamo represented President Bola Tinubu at the event, where he officially flagged off the construction of the airport.
He commended Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo for taking steps to improve infrastructure and attract investment to the state.
According to the minister, the airport will put Kogi State on the global aviation map and open up new business opportunities for residents.
He also dismissed criticisms surrounding the project, arguing that governments must provide the necessary infrastructure to attract investors rather than wait for businesses to come before developing facilities.
Keyamo said the airport would improve the state’s economic activities and provide employment opportunities for thousands of people.
Speaking earlier, Governor Ododo described the project as an important step towards transforming Kogi’s economy.
He said the airport would strengthen the state’s position as a centre for commerce, transportation, logistics and investment.
The governor added that the project would create opportunities in agriculture, mining, manufacturing, tourism and hospitality.
He particularly noted that the airport would make it easier for farmers to transport their produce to markets within and outside Nigeria.
Also speaking, the Kogi State Commissioner for Works, Momoh Salami Ozigi, said the airport was part of the government’s plan to reduce the state’s dependence on the civil service and develop other areas of the economy.
He explained that the first phase of the project would include a 3,600-metre runway, taxiways, aircraft parking apron, drainage systems, perimeter fencing and access roads.
Ozigi said the runway would meet the standards of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and be capable of accommodating large aircraft, including Boeing 747s.
Meanwhile, the Managing Director of the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), Henry Shuo, whose company is handling the project, assured the state government of his company’s commitment to delivering the airport.
He pledged that CCECC would deploy its technical knowledge and experience to ensure the successful completion of the project.
