Zamfara governor begins construction of international airport

• According to the governor’s spokesperson, Sulaiman Idris, the new ‘smart airport’ will handle both domestic and international flights
  

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Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State reaffirmed his commitment to revitalizing Zamfara as a commercial hub in northern Nigeria.

He announced this on Thursday when Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Festus Keyamo inaugurated the construction of the Gusau International Airport.

According to the governor’s spokesperson, Sulaiman Idris, the new ‘smart airport’ will handle both domestic and international flights.

The project includes a 3.4 km primary runway for large commercial aircraft, runway lighting, and navigational aids.

At the ceremony, Lawal emphasized his government’s dedication to making the state an attractive destination for local and international investors.

“The airport will have a modern terminal building with passenger facilities, including check-in counters, automated baggage handling systems, waiting areas and Customs and Immigration services buildings.

“This is in addition to an air traffic control 3.4-kilometre tower equipped with state-of-the-art communication and surveillance systems. Further, it will include the construction of maintenance hangars, fire and rescue stations, fuel storage facilities and other ancillary buildings, access roads to the airport, parking facilities for passengers and staff, water supply, sewage, electrical systems and telecommunication infrastructure.

“There will also be a cargo wing and the landscaping of the airport surroundings to enhance the project’s aesthetic appeal. The Gusau airport project is intended to be a smart airport designed to accommodate domestic and international flights, providing a critical gateway for the state and the entire region.

“It will have the capacity to land most aeroplanes and facilitate more accessible and more efficient travel to and from Zamfara State, promoting social interaction, business and tourism. The economic benefits and multiplier effects of the Gusau airport project are quite enormous as it will have a tremendous impact on the ease of doing business and other social interactions in Zamfara State.It will also open direct air access to our state and eliminate the difficulties our businessmen and women often encounter in exporting and importing goods and services,” Lawal said.