…Engages facility manager for Ekiti Airport
WED APRIL 16 2025-theGBJournal| Ekiti State Governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji, has reaffirmed the commitment of his administration to ensuring that the operations of Ekiti Agro-Allied International Cargo Airport conform with global standards in terms of facilities, safety, and management.
He noted that this objective informed the state government’s decision to engage a reputable airport facility management company, AAC Management Limited, ahead of the commencement of scheduled commercial flight operations.
Governor Oyebanji made this known in Ado-Ekiti on Tuesday while receiving the Managing Director of AAC Management Limited, Christophe Penninck, and other officials of the company in his office.
Describing aviation as a strategic driver of economic development, the Governor Oyebanji said his administration regards the Ekiti airport as a key component of its shared prosperity agenda and a deliberate tool to reposition Ekiti for local and international investment.
He added that the choice of AAC Management Limited was informed by the company’s strong track record and the technical guidance already extended to the state, which helped facilitate the airport’s recent certification.
While acknowledging the existing operational challenges, Governor Oyebanji assured that efforts are ongoing to address them. These include working with BEDC to connect the airport to the national grid and exploring a partnership with a private institution to link the airport to an Independent Power Plant (IPP).
The Governor also expressed optimism about positioning the airport as a hub for religious pilgrimage operations and disclosed that arrangements are underway to install an Instrument Landing System (ILS) before the end of the year in a bid to enable round-the-clock flight operations.
On infrastructure, Governor Oyebanji announced that the Federal Government had awarded the contract for the airport road, with work expected to commence shortly. He added that the ring road connecting the airport will be completed by June 2025.
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