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The project had been awarded to Messrs Craneburg at the cost of N41 billion.
Oyo State governor, Seyi Makinde, on Wednesday, performed the ground-breaking ceremony for the upgrading of the Samuel Ladoke Akintola Airport, Alakia, Ibadan to international standard, noting that the project, when completed, will connect the state to the global market.
The governor maintained that the upgraded airport would also improve the ease of doing business, bring in investments in agribusiness, manufacturing and technology sectors and position Ibadan as a true regional business hub.
Governor Makinde stated this at the airport in Alakia, during the groundbreaking ceremony for the upgrade of the facility to an international airport, noting the project had been awarded to Messrs Craneburg at the cost of N41 billion.
He promised to do everything possible to ensure that the project is delivered in the next 12 months.
This was as the governor assured residents of the state that the Presumptive Tax Law recently passed by the Oyo State House of Assembly will not be implemented at this time due to the general hardship facing the people, stating that his government will only fight poverty and not poor people.
He said: “We took an important decision yesterday at the Executive Council Meeting. We know times are hard and Nigerians are hungry and angry. But I hope this will not boil over. “But in Oyo State, we have control over what we can do here. I can see that the House has passed the Presumptive Tax Bill. Yes, it came from us because if we need to expand the economy, we need to generate money. I will sign it into law, but we will not implement it for now.”
He said his administration would only promote policies that would leave money in the pockets of the people of Oyo State so that they could spend the same on areas important to them.
While stressing that his government would not do anything to deliberately hurt the people, Makinde said the government had paid due compensation to landowners in Ajia, who lost their property to the new Air Force Base being constructed in the area.
According to the governor, the decision to upgrade the airport was taken based on data and logic, adding that it is a strategic investment that includes a first and second phase that will culminate into the upgrading of the airport, the runway, airfield lighting, terminal and other critical facilities.
He said: “Let me specially thank the members of the committee, who worked on the project in the last six weeks to make it possible for the official groundbreaking ceremony to take place today.
“Some people do not think that upgrading this airport at this time is a good idea, but the decision to upgrade this airport to international standard is based on data and logic. In the next twelve months, this project will be delivered. I will push the envelope.
“This airport will connect Oyo State to a global market. It will improve ease of doing business, bringing investments into agribusiness, manufacturing and technology sectors and positioning Ibadan as a true regional business hub.”
Adeyemo; Chief of Staff, Hon. Segun Ogunwuyi; Head of Service, Mrs Olubunmi Oni (mni) and other government functionaries.
Others were chairman and co-chairman, Oyo State Elders’ Council, Dr Saka Balogun and Elder Wole Oyelese; Chief Bode Amao; Mrs Elizabeth Akinyele; Architect Samson and Mrs Victoria Bamidele of Bovas Group; Chief Niyi Akintola (SAN); Alhaji Ahmed Raji (SAN); Chief Olusola Ayandele; Service Commanders, traditional rulers and religious leaders, among other dignitaries.
