The proposed M. K. O Abiola International Airport
in Ido-Osun, Osun, will cost N69 billion under a concession arrangement with an
indigenous company, AWOL International, an official has said.
Mr Niyi
Ogundiran, the Director of Public Building in Osun State Ministry of Works,
gave the figure at a meeting with members of the state Assembly in Osogbo on
Thursday.
Ogundiran said that the concession arrangement would last for 30 years before
permanent transfer of ownership to the state government.
He said that
the contract was first awarded on Oct. 14, 2012, at the cost of N 4.5 billion,
noting that the project was to be completed within eight months by the
government and not under concession arrangement.
Ogundiran
said that the contract was later reviewed to gulp N11 billion to be able to
accommodate more features.
He said the
state government had spent N3.6 billion on the project before the concession
arrangement, adding that the N3.6 billion would be deducted from the N69
billion contract sum.
Mr Nurudeen
Adeagbo, Permanent Secretary in the ministry, said that the concession
arrangement would be to the advantage of the state.
He expressed
the hope that the company would deliver a perfect job.
In his
remarks, the Deputy Speaker of the Assembly, Mr Adegboye Akintunde, urged all
those in charge of the project to ensure its success.
Akintunde
said that Osun people were watching with keen interest to know the outcome of
the arrangement.
Mr Tunde,
the Chairman of the House Committee on Commerce, Co-operatives and Industries,
said that the airport project was a huge investment and must be handled
carefully.
Olatunji
said that, if well executed, the project would facilitate economic
development of the state. (NAN)
Source: DailyTrust
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