It was fanfare across Ogun State and Ikenne LGA in particular as the Gateway International Cargo Airport, Iperu-Ilishan Road, Ikenne, generally believed to have been attracted by their son, the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, conducted its Maiden Test Flight (MTF) Thursday, February 23, 2023.
In his emotion-filled address shortly after his flight landed, Prof Osinbajo described the agro-cargo international airport in Ogun State as world-class capable of taking large aircraft.
The Vice President, who was accompanied by his wife, Dolapo, said he was proud to be a citizen of the state and a son of Ikenne.
“So, it is with great pride and joy that I join you here today to witness an incredibly momentous event; the maiden test flight to the recently constructed Gateway Agro Cargo International Airport of Ogun State.
“As we descended to land a few moments ago, we were able to see the runway –a state of the art four-kilometer facility able to take a Boeing 777 and a Boeing 747 aircraft landing and even A380 aircraft. A runway doesn’t get better than this.
“It is not just the best in Nigeria, it is a world-class airport; with what we all see here this afternoon, Ogun State is definitely taking a huge step forward in fulfilling the dreams of our forebears; dreams of a vibrant, modern and industrious community living together in peace and prosperity,” he said.
He said it was pertinent to commend the first visioner of this airport, Gbenga Daniel, who as a governor, conceived this airport and went as far as getting approval from the Federal Government.
The vice president said it was also a tribute to the wisdom and understanding of Gov. Dapo Abiodun that he took the idea, re-envisioned and birthed the cargo airport.
According to him, the project is the fulfillment of a vision and the infrastructure for building a dynamic economic area.
“We are now poised to provide facilities for a world-class economic zone.
“But what a day this is- all of us are witnesses to the first fully functional agro cargo airport in our country, we are witnesses to the landing of the first commercial aircraft at this airport and we saw the crew of the airport live.
“And the commercial jet itself is one of the fleets of aircraft of Value Jet owned by Kunle Soname, a son of Remo and in particular, Ikenne,” he said.
Osinbajo said that the airport would serve the Special Agriculture Processing Zones established with the generous assistance of the African Development Bank.
On his part, Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, said the airport was a product of people that sat down to think what could add value to the economy and social well-being of the people.
He said that the aviation sector had witnessed immense growth under President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
“I must say that during the Buhari government, aviation became the fastest-growing sector of the economy before COVID-19. This is according to the National Bureau of Statistics and the Ministry of Finance.
“We doubled the number of airports; we doubled the number of airlines,” he said.
Earlier in his address, Abiodun said the airport was a category 4E airport and one of the best constructed airports in the country.
“It can accommodate an A3 80, a Boeing 777 and a Boeing 747.
“It has a four-kilometre runway, a 36-metre control tower, a fire station, a cargo airpron and terminal buildings. It has a 82,000 square metre cargo airpron for type e and type c aircrafts when completed,” he said.
He commended Value Jet for being the first commercial flight to land at the airport.
The vice president afterward, unveiled the plaque commemorating the maiden test flights.
Apart from the delivered over 4km runway , checks by Business Hilights showed that other critical facilities including the Taxiways & Aprons, Runway- and Taxiway Bridges, Passenger Terminals, Cargo Facilities, Air Traffic Control Buildings, Hangars, Maintenance Facilities, Fire and Rescue Facilities are all under construction.
