- Says the decision to relocate the project was made after considering certain conditions that must be met
The Technical Committee put in place by the Osun State Government to oversee the execution of its proposed airport project has dismissed allegations of nepotism in its decision to relocate the project to Ede, the hometown of Governor Ademola Adeleke from its present Ido Osun location.
A member of the committee, Mr. Lai Oriowo, while explaining reasons why the project had to move from its present location to a more suitable site at a press briefing in Osogbo, the state capital, on Wednesday, said the decision to relocate the project was made after considering certain conditions that must be met before the initiative could see the light of the day.
It would be recalled that indigenes of Ido Osun had on Tuesday held a peaceful protest against the plan by the state government to relocate the project.
During the protest held majorly by youths under the aegis of Ido-Osun Youth Forum, the displeased residents, who positioned themselves along the Ido-Osun-Ede Road, chanted anti-government songs in expressing their displeasure at the plan relocation.
The protesters, who also rejected the explanations offered by the government that the current site of the airport was no longer good enough, due to encroachment by people who have erected structures on the land for the project, demanded immediate stoppage of the planned relocation.
But Oriowo, while explaining further why the project was moved to the Akoda area in Ede, said the current location was not spacious enough to accommodate an airport.
“I am personally privileged because I was part of the technical committee at the inception of the project under former Governor Oyinlola. I am therefore advantageously placed to speak on the issue including the history of the project.
“So, when the new administration comes on board, it has a duty to set up a technical committee to consider all the issues for a decision. The committee comprises professionals in the aviation sector from far and near.
“Findings of the committee on the Ido Osun site are as follows: i. The total area of the site was approximately estimated to be 3,871,806.34 square meters (387.18 Ha). ii. The existing runway which is 1.67km did not meet the required standard. The minimum runway for a standard airport is 4.8km.
“The runway length required for class 4E Aircraft is 3600 x 45m and an additional minimum distance of 750 meters on both approaches for the Runway End Safety Area/Clearway for instrument runway is 5,100m against the available dimension of 3,250m. iii. Citing the runway at this site (Old Aerodrome Site) therefore, will require relocation of Adeleke Secondary School and also the displacement of some settlements at the other end of the site.
“The existing culvert of 65 metres transversely located at different sections of the running route and open/fabricated drainage already constructed are not ideal for an Airport. The required length of the culvert across the runway should be 150m against 65m to cover both the runway width and its strip. v. The uncompleted Terminal Building, Control Tower Building, and Fire and Rescue buildings, are wrongly located concerning the runway.
“Access to the Airport is limited to only Osogbo – Ede Road; vii. The layout shows that less than 120m is the available land at 04-approach threshold to Adeleke Secondary School fence for the Runway End Safety Area (RESA) and at the other approach 22, the available land is 150 from threshold 22 to Oshogbo, and Ede Bye-pass,” Oriowo said.
Insisting that for the project to meet the aviation standards it has to be relocated away from Ido Osun, Oriowo added that many locations were considered before Akoda in Ede was settled for after the site proposed for it met all conditions.
Also shedding light, the Deputy Governor of Osun State, Kola Adewusi said that if the state government were to proceed with the project in Ido-Osun, it would cost a lot of money to compensate the members of the community who would be affected.
He said, “In this generation, we should not look at issues with sentiments. The Airforce base is there and will still be in use, but it will not suit the present situation of establishing an airport. There is a need to factor that into the whole issue. Failure to do that is what is affecting Nigeria today.”
“I am sorry, but if our past leaders had thought outside the box, maybe they would have made provisions for the challenges confronting us today. We should be able to have foresight. If we continue with the project in Ido-Osun and, in the near future, there is a need for an international airport and the facilities there will not be able to accommodate flight traffic, what do we do?”
He also revealed that investigations dismissed the claim that a ditch was situated in the allotted land and that the land could not contain the stretch of the runway.
“There is a need to project into the future. From the information available to me, there is a ditch that will cost a lot of money if the project should continue there. The distance of the runway, which is 3.5km, cannot be obtained from the existing location, so they have to look for enough land.”
“It is not because of any reason whatsoever. Are Ido-Osun people not part of Osun State? We don’t have any problem with anybody there. Their late king was a friend of the government. There is no need to attach sentiment to it.”
“If critics of the airport relocation can get enough land in Osogbo, why not? Many people don’t know the governor. He doesn’t attach sentiment to anything.”
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