By Nudoiba Ojen
A cross-section of regulatory agencies in the aviation industry has certified the Gateway International Agro-Cargo Airport located along the Ilisan-Iperu axis of Ogun State fit for commercial operations.
The agencies, which comprised the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), and Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), commended the quality of facilities put in place as well as its level of completion.
The agencies, who spoke in Tuesday after visit to the airport, unanimously adjudged the airport as world-standard and a source of pride for Ogun State.
According to the agencies, the critical infrastructure at the airport, which includes the Control Tower, Weather Monitoring Areas, Runway, Fire Service Stations, and the Apron, can rival any of its type around the world and remain one of the best in the West African corridor.
Speaking during the visit, the Director of Aerodrome and Airspace Standards of NCAA, represented by Ango Mohammed, noted a significant improvement in the state of the facilities at the airport since his last visit, which is now at the level of any other towers in every standard airport around the globe.
Mohammed said, “The quality of work carried out at the airport by the Ogun State Government should elicit accolades from all” as he expressed the delight of the NCAA over the project.
Also speaking, the representative of the Managing Director of NAMA, Tayo John, noted that the purpose of their visit to the airport was “to inspect the facilities on-site to ascertain whether they are in strict compliance with the requirements for the provision of air traffic services and safety”.
Meanwhile, the Senior Project Manager of Craneburg, the construction company handling the project, Nicolas Mfarrej, said the airport is about 98% ready to take off fully and begin to serve the interests of the state.
In the same vein, the Consultant on regulatory matters to the Ogun State Governor, Engineer Oluwole Adeyileka, said that the key players in the regulation and monitoring of facilities for full airport operations had come to assess the level of readiness of the state, adding that it was noteworthy that they had been impressed by what the state had put in place at the airport.
In their separate remarks, the Manager of Gateway International Airport, Captain Dapo Olumide, and the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Engineer Ade Akinsanya, said the ongoing assessment is the last hurdle to be crossed before the airport could go on full commercial operations.
They said that the assessment given had shown that the state is set to take the lead in air traffic services in the country, describing it as a good outcome of great commitment and dedication to the realization of the dream of an airport that can meet world standards.
