CIFAC appeals to FG on Ogun agro-cargo airport completion

A Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), the International Freight and Cargo Advocacy Centre (CIFAC), has urged the Federal Government to financially support the agro-allied cargo airport project being undertaken by the Ogun State Government.

The group noted that the perennial lack of storage facilities for farm produce and the challenges arising from aviation bottlenecks have been the bane of exportation by farmers in Nigeria. It added that the completion of the international airport would tremendously boost the exportation of agricultural and allied products by commercial farmers as well as the importation of farm inputs.

In a statement, the Director-General of CIFAC, Olatunde Awonuga, said the international cargo airport would further encourage the proliferation of agro-allied cottage industries in the country, thereby boosting the nation’s Gross Domestic Products (GDP) and other economic indices within a short time frame.

“The strategic location of the airport on the Sagamu-Epe-Lekki bypass road would not only enhance easier, faster and cheaper access to it by motorists from all parts of Ogun, Oyo, Lagos and other states in the Southwest, given the opportunity to avoid the incessant traffic on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway but would also boost international trade in the West African sub-region along the Lagos-Cotonou (Benin-Republic) trade corridor and this comes with huge promises in strengthening regional economy and international cooperation among countries in the West African sub-region.”

He appealed to the Federal Government to help in providing the required financial assistance for the execution of this lofty and laudable project as announced earlier by the Ogun State Government to make the ingenious vision of a model cargo airport a reality in the state such that other states across the country would take a cue from the money-spinning enterprise in no distant future.

He also commended the effort of the Governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun, in further opening up the State for cutting-edge agro-allied businesses and unprecedented industrial revolution.

“We have also applauded the foresight and great vision of the Dapo Abiodun administration to transform the economy of the Gateway State, which informed the establishment of the International Agro-Allied Cargo Airport by his administration.”

Awonuga added that aside from the strategic location of the cargo airport in Sagamu, a few kilometers away from Lagos State, the international airport would tremendously boost the exportation of agricultural and allied products by commercial farmers as well as the importation of farm inputs into the State.

“It is no gainsaying that the establishment of the airport would give exporters the leeway to export their cash products such as Cocoa, Kolanut, rubber and tobacco without necessarily passing through the Muritala Muhammad International Airport in Lagos.”