A team from the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning, has arrived Lafia, to inspect the Lafia Cargo Airport, as part of the process for refunding and subsequent takeover of the facility by the Federal Government.
The team, led by its permanent secretary, Mrs. Suzette Taylor-Lee Chee, paid a courtesy call on Nasarawa State Governor, Engineer Abdullahi Sule, at the Government House, on Wednesday.
Represented by a director in the ministry, Mr. Victor Amata, the permanent secretary said they were in the state to inspect the Lafia Cargo airport as part of the process leading to the taking over the facility by the Federal Government.
She expressed appreciation that the ministry was in receipt of all the necessary documents and have gotten the desired support, regarding the handing over of the airport.
“However, part of the procedure of refund is for us to inspect the project before we communicate it to the council.
“We want to assure you that after this inspection, I am sure in the next couple of weeks we will get FEC approval for this project,” she stated.
Responding, Governor Abdullahi Sule thanked the Federal Government, especially President Muhammadu, for approving the takeover of the airport.
While also thanking members of the ream for undertaking the inspection visit, Engineer Sule appealed to them to also consider inspecting the bypass linking the airport to Keffi, started by the past administration of Senator Umaru Tanko Al-makura.
“Even though that would be outside your responsibility, I will plead with you to also look at the road. I’m happy you came on the road through Akwanga. But the former governor, as he was building the airport, he began the construction of another road that will link to almost Keffi, which will now reduce almost one and a half hours of time from Abuja.
“That’s the purpose of this airport, to link us to Abuja. But it will not be for only people of Nasarawa State. It will be for the people of Benue, Taraba and other eastern and southern part of the country that come through Lafia,” he stated.
Engineer Sule informed the team that, the Lafia Cargo airport has the latest technology, starting from the weather control to the control tower.
He showed appreciation to the permanent secretary, Minister of Finance, Hajiya Zainab Ahmed, as well as the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, who played a key role towards ensuring the takeover of the airport.
