After nearly two decades of being inactive, the Adogo airstrip in Kogi state is poised to undergo a transformation into an international cargo airport.
The Special Adviser on Media to Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo, Ismaila Isah, announced in a statement issued on Thursday in Abuja.
According to Isah, Governor Ododo revealed the ambitious plan during a meeting with the management of the China Civil Engineering and Construction Company (CCECC), led by Managing Director David Wang at the Government House in Lokoja.
The proposed Kogi State Cargo Airport is slated to be developed through a Public-Private Partnership between the Kogi state government and CCECC.
The initial phase of the project will involve conducting a feasibility study and engaging with stakeholders, with plans to establish a project implementation committee thereafter.
Isah stated, “Governor Ododo told the CCECC team that the Adogo cargo airport project is of critical importance to the economic development of the state, stressing that Kogi State is endowed with huge agricultural potential and large mineral deposits in commercial quantities that require a viable means of air transportation to be connected to markets within and outside Nigeria.
“The Governor expressed optimism that the completion of the proposed cargo airport in Adogo is a strategic project that will further advance the economic development agenda of his administration by linking Kogi State to gateways of economic activities through intermodal transportation system like the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja and the Warri-Itakpe-Abuja rail line when fully completed.”
Moreover, Governor Ododo highlighted the complementary role of ongoing road projects, particularly in rural areas rich in agricultural and mineral resources, which stand to benefit from connectivity to the proposed cargo airport.
In response, CCECC Managing Director David Wang reassured Governor Ododo of the company’s commitment to delivering on the project once the necessary assessments and consultations are completed by the government.
Credit Vanguard News.
