The Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, on Saturday, inaugurated the newly constructed Ekiti Cargo International Airport, along Ado Ijan road in Ado Ekiti, the state capital, was commissioned on Saturday, shortly after the first airplane with registration number ATR 42 (Nigeria Air Force plane 930) piloted by Flight Lieutenant EA Balogun landed at the facility’s runway.

Coincidentally, the airport along Ijan-Ado road in the state capital marked the last project inaugurated for use by the administration of Dr Kayode Fayemi shortly before he was pulled out of office as governor at a modest occasion at the Government House.

The Ekiti State Governor-elect, Biodun Oyebanji, would be inaugurated as governor of the state on Sunday, October 16, 2022, for a term of four years following the expiration on Saturday, October 15 of the four-year tenure of Fayemi.

Sirika disclosed that the Federal Government would site a cargo facility at the airport, saying the Ekiti Airport was “an extremely very important project” which would facilitate the import and export of goods and commodities and drive the state economy.

The minister said, “I was at ABUAD, I saw the university, the farm, the industrial park and the hospital. If there is an airport here, it will connect people to this facility and reduce foreign medical tourism. Airports are by no means the best catalysts for economic growth of any state or nation.

“Thirty-five per cent of global trade by value is moved through airports and $18.6 billion of cargo is moved daily through air transportation. The wealthy among you should take to agriculture for example and begin to produce things that you will export to other parts of the world.

Minister inaugurates Ekiti airport as Fayemi leaves office

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