The Nigeria Air Force (NAF) has reiterated its plans to collaborate with Ekiti State Government in the development of the state’s cargo airport, as a team from the office of the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Oladayo Amao, on Friday, inspected the site meant for the construction of an Air Force Base within the airport.

The team led by the Chief of Policy and Plans, AVM Remigus Ekeh, during a visit to Governor Kayode Fayemi in his office in Ado Ekiti before the inspection tour, disclosed that the visit was a follow-up to the Governor’s initiative which he discussed with the former Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar at the Force Headquarters, Abuja last year.

AVM Ekeh said he was delighted seeing that the initiative has experienced tremendous progress within the last one year that it was conceived.

He restated the commitment of the Air Force in ensuring that the country was peaceful andprosperous and commended Governor Fayemi for releasing a parcel of land at the airport for the establishment of a base to strengthen the efforts of the Air Force at tackling the present security challenges in the country.

“We thank you for fulfilling your promise of giving us a portion of land at the international cargo airport for the air force to set up a base. We are very grateful and we will continue to ask for your corporation especially at this time when the nation is facing great security challenges,” AVM Ukeh said.

Speaking, Dr Fayemi, who presented the aerial survey document of the allotted portion to the team, noted that the presence of the Air Force Base at the cargo airport would strengthen security architecture and efforts at restoring sanity and security in the country.

He explained that the former Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Abubakar, had promised that the space would be used as part of the central command of operation in the country, considering the strategic location of Ekiti to States in the central area, including Kogi, Kwara, Niger and the FCT; and as well as its straddling with other states in the West.

The Governor, while urging the Force to accelerate the actualization of the initiative, said the state government was set to present the Certificate of Occupancy to NAF and work with them in implementing their plans for the space. He added that the main contractor handling the airport project had promised to deliver by August next year.

“I am delighted,” he said, “that you are still very much committed to this initiative. On our part, we have done the aerial survey we have identified on the basis of earlier discussion with the Air Force and I will present to you that portion that is meant for the NAF within the airport operations and what we will plead for is accelerated development.

“This is not just within our purview but within your purview as well but our vision and going by the timetable that we have from the main contractor, the airport should be ready by August 2022.

“So, once you take your own portion of land at the airport do all that is necessary, we will be happy to quickly make available the Certificate of Occupancy to the NAF and then work with you to attain the plans that you have for the site that has been located to the NAF.”

•PHOTO: L-R: Air Officer Commanding Logistics Command, NAF Lagos, AVM C.E. Ohwo; Deputy Governor of Ekiti State, Otunba Bisi Egbeyemi; Ekiti State Governor Dr. Kayode Fayemi; Chief of Policy and Plans /Representative of the Chief of Air Staff, AVM R.N. Ekeh; Secretary to the State Government, Hon Biodun Oyebanji; and Director Air Traffic Services HQ NAF, Air Commodore A.H. Amesinlola; shortly after an inspection ofsite for the Air Force Base at the new Airport being constructed in Ado- Ekiti . . . on Friday.