Image
April 16, 2023
Since its conception in 2012, which was during Fayemi’s first term in office, billions of naira were committed to the project that has simply failed to kick off.
Ekiti State government has spent billions of naira on a fraudulent airport project and has continued to commit more funds to the project that has endlessly remained under construction despite the funds already committed to it.
Some people have regarded the project as a white elephant gulping huge amounts of money with nothing to show for it.
SaharaReporters earlier reported how Ekiti Cargo Airport was inaugurated with much fanfare in October 2022. However, six months after the inauguration of the project, it is not yet open for use.
Sited along Ado-Ijan Road in Ado-Ekiti, almost close to the Afe Babalola University in the state capital, the multi-billion-naira cargo airport was awarded to the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation Ltd. (CCECC) Nigeria by immediate former Governor Kayode Fayemi in 2019.
Since its conception in 2012, which was during Fayemi’s first term in office, billions of naira were committed to the project that has simply failed to kick off.
Months after the inauguration amid fanfare, SaharaReporters reported that several projects had not been completed at the airport. But the spending has not stopped as the government of Abiodun Oyebanji has committed to spending more by budgeting more funds in 2023 to get the airport running.
For instance, SaharaReporters reported that the passenger terminal building in the facility had not been completed.
Also, the interior, including offices, a passenger lounge, and some parts of the floor had not been plastered.
The runway and adjoining roads linking the airport to the expressway connecting the state capital had been completed except for the drainages.
The Air Traffic Control (ATC), which is one of the most important facilities in an airport, was also yet to be completed.
The primary purpose of ATC worldwide is to prevent collisions, organise and expedite the flow of air traffic, and provide information and other support for pilots.
The facility is responsible for the active runway surfaces. Air control clears aircraft for takeoff or landing, ensuring that prescribed runway separation will exist at all times.
If the air controller detects any unsafe conditions, a landing aircraft may be instructed to "go around" and be re-sequenced into the landing pattern.
This re-sequencing will depend on the type of flight and may be handled by the air controller, approach or terminal area controller.
A source in October 2022 told SaharaReporters that Fayemi deceived Ekiti people by bribing the Nigerian Air Force to release its fighter jet which could land anywhere by design.
“Nothing has been completed at the airport, only the runway was rushed so that the fighter jet could land there. No plane can land there for now except for the likes of the military jet which can land anyway by design.
“No control system yet. He bribed and used the Nigerian Air Force to deceive the public that he completed the airport and a military aircraft was deployed, flown by an Ekiti indigene.
“All the visitors that attended the swearing-in flew to Akure from where most were ferried to Ado-Ekiti by helicopter for the ceremony. The new governor didn’t attend the opening of the airport and upon being sworn in, he froze all the state accounts. For now, Fayemi only inaugurated it in his name; so another person doesn’t take the glory. It’s nowhere near completion at all,” the source had said.
An ICIR report in October 2022 also observed that the proposed building for the cargo terminal was still at the foundation level.
Similarly, it observed that the Air Traffic Control (ATC) tower used to facilitate the safe and expeditious flow of air traffic and landing was missing.
In January 2023, the state government said over N16 billion had been expended in the construction of the state agro-allied airport inaugurated last October.
Niyi Adebayo, the special adviser to Governor Abiodun Oyebanji on budget, economic planning and performance management, lamented that there was still a lot to do, which puts into question how the funds already expended on the airport were spent.
Adebayo confirmed SaharaReporters’ report that only military aircraft could use the airport.
“We can only land the military aircraft because we don’t have the full work of navigational aids. The military aircraft can land themselves with little or no air from the control tower. So, we need to have a functional control tower, build a new terminal where passengers can wait to board the plane. So, those are the expenditures we need in the New Year; but the runway is very good.
“And of course, we need to provide necessary lighting infrastructures, so that planes can land in the evening, even daytime when you have a foggy situation because light helps the pilot to see the runway better.”
Confirming more funds would be expended on the controversial project in 2023, he said, “So, those are the areas where expenditure needs to go into.”
Similarly, Bunmi Awotiku, the coordinator of the airport project in a statement last October, confirmed the situation, saying that some facilities needed for the smooth operations of the airport including the air control tower were yet to be in place.
“No Control Tower. Yes, you're right. A Control tower is required. We are yet to start full operations. For the test flight, what is required is to establish ground-to-air communication between the Air traffic Controller with the Pilot. For the information of the public too, we had a mobile Tower manned by the Nigeria Airspace Management Authority personnel. No regulation was flouted,” he said.
But Fayemi appeared to be in the habit of inaugurating uncompleted projects as governor.
As far back as 2014, a former governor of the state, Ayo Fayode criticised how Fayemi was handling the project. He also accused his predecessor of inviting dignitaries, including former vice president Atiku Abubakar to inaugurate uncompleted projects, such as Oba Adjugbe Hospital in Ado Ekiti, the state pavilion, and Ado-Ifaki Road.