Lagos receives federal nod to build new airport

By Lukman Olabiyi, Lagos

The federal government has given its approval to the Lagos State government to build a new airport along the Lekki-Epe axis of the state.

The Minister of State for Aviation, Hadi Sirika, disclosed this in Lagos while speaking with reporters at the ongoing Lagos Economic Summit, Ehingbeti 2022, held at the Eko Hotel and Suites.

The minister said that the federal government is going to give all the necessary support to the Lagos State government in actualising the project.

He stated the new project by the state government was the right step in the emergence of a new Lagos within the Lekki-Epe axis and Eko Atlantic City.

Justifying the federal government’s approval for the project, Sirika said: “The project is a necessity because it will make Lagos more accessible, it is linking people of Lagos and the state to market, to larger economy; commerce and trade, it will position it to the centre of trade in not only west Africa but beyond. The GDP of Lagos is running to trillions of naira and that is 30% of GDP of Nigeria, of course, you will agree with me that Muritala Muhammed Airport is too congested and far away from the centre of the action at the moment because the new Lagos, Lekki Free Trade Zone and others, Lagos need the airport and we are happier to let them have it, we will ensure that our agencies supervise it, to make sure that it was done very well”.

In his reaction to the news, while speaking with reporters, the state governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, expressed his appreciation for the approval.

“I’m very, very excited. This is the first in a series of announcements that will be having today and tomorrow; there is also a few other breaking news that we will be handing over. For us it is all about partnership, you can see a real partnership with the federal government through the Ministry of Aviation but the real beneficiary is the citizen and the businesses we are trying to activate, so, we doing government-to-business, and business-to-business, that is how you develop economy like this, you give them a platform, give them the infrastructure that is government related for their businesses opportunity to thrive. It will make Lagos accessible,” he said.

Earlier, while declaring Ehingbeti Summit opened, Governor Sanwo-Olu said the theme, “Lagos 2022 – 2052: Charting the Paths to Sustainable Development – the Thirty Year Plan”, was apt as the state would leverage on successes achieved through collaboration.

The governor also called on participants to offer perspective and workable resolutions to accelerate the socio-economic development plan for the state.

Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Sam Egube, noted that 95 per cent of resolutions reached in previous editions of Ehingbeti summits in the state had been implemented, siting the Lekki Free Trade Zone, the blue and red rail lines as a typical testament as he restated that Lagos deserve a special status.

Earlier, the chairperson of the summit, Ehingbeti 2022, Mary Iwelumo, said the Lagos State Development Plan 2022 to 2052 was to help Lagos achieve the mega city status as over 24,000 registered participants were expected at this year’s summit which would last for the next two days.