>
By Emmanuel Adeleke
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has received a letter of approval for the construction of the Lekki international airport.
The letter was presented to the governor by the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, at the Ehingbeti Lagos Economic Summit, on Tuesday.
Speaking at the event, Sirika said the airport will link Nigeria to the world, and open Lagos to more international economic partnerships.
The minister, who acknowledged the economic potential of the state, said the Federal Government did not hesitate to approve Lagos’ request for a new airport because its rich culture, history, industries, and tourism potential needs to be linked and shared with Africa and beyond.
“This city, which houses about 26.7 percent of national GDP, housing our stock exchange, 200 financial institutions, 25 million people, on 5,377 square kilometres of landmass plus Eko Atlantic, plus all the industries, the rich culture, the tradition, the history, the tourist attraction, the Eyo Festival, and so on and so forth, needs to be connected to the world to continue to be the center of the economy of the activity of the country, Nigeria.
“And the only way you can link this city of Lagos to the world is obviously not the only way, but the best way is to connect by infrastructure.
“So, when his excellency, the governor, approached us in aviation ministry and says he wants to build an airport in Lagos, another airport? I said yes, this is a huge step in the very right direction. And the reason is simple. Like I said, during my days in Lagos, the terminal point is Maroko, Sandfield. When you go there, you only go to mechanic to do panel beating for you, that’s it.
“But today, from here, all the way to outer VGC, all the way to Epe, it’s Lagos. The expansion is astronomical, it’s huge, it’s big. The idea and the size of the economy is good and big. So you need to continue to link Lagos, not only with Nigeria, but Africa and the world.
“So if you look at all these financial institutions, the 200 industrial estates and the Eko Atlantic, there must be a way that these people will come in and out of Lagos on another route, which is the airport in Lekki. Your excellency, the governor, this is a huge step in the right direction, we didn’t waste time to give the approval. And we’re happy to present the certificate today,” Sirika said.
Reacting, Sanwo-Olu said the approval was going to be the first in series of announcements the state is going to make today and tomorrow.
“For us, it is all about partnership. We can see a real partnership with the Federal Government through the Ministry of Aviation, but the real beneficiaries are the citizens and businesses we are trying to activate more.
“This infrastructure will reduce journey time and make Lagos easily and better accessible,” he said.