Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, has assured that the state airport would commence commercial flight operations before the end of the year.
This is even as the World Bank has said it has committed over $200 million to the state.
Speaking at a one-day development partners’ meeting in Abuja, the governor pledged to sustain the improved ease of doing business in the state under his leadership.
He said his administration is open to partnerships and engagements that attract investments and pave the way for local processing of solid minerals in the state.
The governor also said that the government is committed to making the ease of doing business a major selling point for Ekiti in the comity of states in the country.
Governor Oyebanji said the state has adhered strictly to the protocols of ongoing development projects.
He noted efforts by his government to improve the ease of doing business in the state, to include the establishment of a small claims court, streamlining business permits, enforcement of contracts, and aligning tax policies to remove double taxation, among others.
“For the first time in Nigeria, we are building an innovation hub. Ekiti is known for education – the most educated state in the country. And we want to commoditise education and knowledge.
“A people cannot be educated, brilliant, and be poor. Education has not delivered prosperity in terms of naira and kobo. So EKZ is an answer to that problem; we are grateful to AfDB for this. And we are also looking forward to AfDB being onboarded into the second phase SAPZ. We have ticked all the boxes and I am sure that very soon the state will also join the league of states with Special Grid Processing Zone.
“On ease of doing business, we have gone far. I head and chair the committee on ease of doing business. We have established a small claims court in Ekiti State. We have streamlined business permits, enforcement of contracts. We are at a point of having a one-stop shop physically and virtually that addresses the concerns of investors in the state. We have aligned our tax policies to remove double taxation.
“On access to the state, our airport is practically ready. But in Nigeria, I have learned something about technical readiness and practical readiness. But our airport is ready but I don’t want to play politics with safety. So we are waiting for the regulatory agencies to give us all the certifications.”
He said officials from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authorities (NCAA) and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) are currently in the state for certification for commercial operations.
“As I speak today, they are in Ekiti now at the airport, trying to look at what we have put on the ground. Once we have the certification from NCAA and FAAN, then access to Ekiti State will be sorted out at least through the air. I don’t want to give a timeframe but before the end of this year, commercial operations will begin at the Ekiti State airport,” he said.
On his part, the new World Bank Country Director, Ndiame Diop, said the agency has committed over $200 million in Ekiti State with about $60 million disbursed so far.
Diop, who revealed that the funds are focused on eight projects, called for effective collaboration from all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies to ensure the success of the projects.
Also, Head of the subnational team, Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, British High Commission, David Ukwuagu, said it would continue to strengthen its commitment to the state using its regional engagement.
Other development partners who promised to sustain their engagements with the state include the African Development Bank (AfDB), Embassy of Belgium, United States Agency for International Development (USAID), United States African Development Foundation (USADF), United Nations Office for Drug and Crimes, British High Commission, among others.
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