The Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) said all arrangements have been concluded with a private company, Ala Resort Ltd, to develop and showcase the country’s rich cultural heritage and tourism potential by transforming Akure Airport to an Aerotropolis city.
The General Manager, Business Development, FAAN Headquarters, Mr. Hycinth Ngwu, who disclosed this, said the decision was anchored on private/public partnership geared towards developing an aerotropolis in the airport, and to boost businesses and investment.
Ngwu, who also disclosed that the groundbreaking of the project would hold on Tuesday was designed to generate revenue for FAAN, said it has become imperative for investors and authorities at the airport to have mutually beneficial relationship that can enhance business development.
Commending the company, the host community, Ondo State government and all stakeholders for making the project successful, the FAAN Business Development general manager said: “It’s of the interest of all stakeholders to support the project. It will increase revenue base of the state and local government.
“Certainly majority of the employees will come from the locality. They should support it because it will transform their successes.
“We intend to replicate this in other airports. We started in Akure because it initially had the largest land mass before being overtaken recently by Abuja Airport.”
While speaking on the development, the Chief Executive Officer of the resort, Mr. Moyosola Niran-Oladunni, explained that the company was bringing ideas that would impact value on the state.
According to him, the Aerotropolis City, which would be first of its kind in sub-sahara Africa, would drive lives around aviation industry, which includes shopping malls, spas, museums, and regional art; logistics and air cargo; hotels and entertainment; office and retail complexes, and will be surrounded by clusters of aviation-related businesses.
The Chief Executive Officer of Ala Resort, Niran-Oladunni, disclosed that the Aerotropolis City which would gulp N56 billion, will engage more than 14,000 skilled workers.
He said the resort had commenced moves on the project since 2017 when experts were invited to assess the airport for its suitability for the project.
He revealed that FAAN had approved the project, which he said would be constructed in phases including institutional, industrial, commercial and agricultural.
He explained that the Aerotropolis City would parade institutional zone including Sports Academy that could host any club, which would be built by Emirate Foundation, medical centre, to be built by a US company.
The industrial zone would also enable all materials to be used for the construction to be assembled and manufactured in the sector within, adding that the Aerotropolis has the potential to catalyse cargo business in the airport, saying the airport authority would activate the cargo shed in the airport.
The Akure Airport manager, Mrs. Lynda Ezike, assured that the management and staff of the airport were expectant and ready to support the proposed unprecedented developmental mega project in the airport.
According to her, “We are ready to support Ala Resort Ltd in ensuring the success of this mega project which is for the betterment of all stakeholders.”
READ ALSO FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
