The newly established Ogun State Agro-Cargo International Airport will begin operations for scheduled flights in the next few weeks.
Ogun state governor, Dapo Abiodun disclosed this in a statement at the 13th Gateway International Trade Fair breakfast meeting with chief executive officers, captains of industry, entrepreneurs, investors and stakeholders which held on Tuesday at the Mitros Residences, GRA, Abeokuta, Ogun State.
Governor Abiodun announced that the approval to begin the airport’s operation would soon be granted and that the airport is expected to be commissioned in a few days.
He also disclosed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the establishment of the Special Agro Processing Zone as a free trade zone.
He said, “I believe within the next two weeks or less, we will also get the approval for scheduled flights to begin to operate out of that airport. That means you can attend to your business and bring in raw materials by air into the state.
“A neighbouring country has indicated interest and decided that they will not build a cargo airport in their country. They would rather drop all their agro produce from that country to Ogun State and export their produce from our airport.
“The airport is in a Special Agro Processing Zone. That zone has now been approved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as a free trade zone, so we have another free trade zone.”
Governor Abiodun also revealed that his administration had plans to launch the Kajola Inland Container Terminal. He stated that he understands and is committed to addressing the challenges faced by individuals in exporting their goods efficiently.
“We will soon be flagging off the Kajola Inland Container Terminal, called a dry port, and this we are particularly determined to see through because we understand the plight of most of you,” he said.
“What you have to go through by importing your raw materials into Tin Can or Apapa and incurring unnecessary expense in demurrages before bringing them by road, struggling through the traffic out of Lagos.
“On completion, this Kajola Inland terminal dry port will serve your purposes, meaning that you can now ship your goods from anywhere in the world, destined to Kajola and just go to Kajola, pick up your container, process your raw materials and also have the opportunity of exporting efficiently through the same channel.”
