President Bola Tinubu has given his approval for the upgrade of the Ladoke Akintola Airport in Ibadan to international status.
News About Nigeria reports that the move comes after Governor Seyi Makinde requested the federal government to elevate the status of the airport.
Governor Makinde made the announcement on Wednesday, June 26, during a courtesy visit by the Chief of Air Staff of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), Air Marshall Hassan Baba Abubakar, to the Governor’s Office in Agodi, Ibadan.
According to Makinde, work on the project will commence as soon as all necessary documentation from the Presidency is perfected.
He also sought the input of Air Force personnel in the state to ensure that the project met the required operating standards.
He said that the upgrade of the airport to international status is expected to boost economic activities in the region and provide more opportunities for air travel and cargo transportation.
The governor noted that the development is seen as a significant milestone in the efforts to transform the state’s infrastructure and promote economic growth.
Recall that the ninth Senate urged the Ministry of Aviation and other relevant authorities to upgrade the Ibadan Domestic Airport, Alakia, to the status of an international airport.
The resolutions followed the presentation of a motion sponsored by Senator Kola Balogun (PDP-Oyo South) during plenary on “The need to upgrade the airport with modern facilities.”
The motion was co-sponsored by 37 senators.
Balogun moved the motion, saying that the airport needed to be upgraded with modern facilities because of Ibadan’s potential to attract economic development both locally and internationally.
