Renowned lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Jibrin Okutepa has appealed to Kogi governor Ahmed Ododo to abandon his plan to build a N50 billion international airport in the state.
Jibrin made the appeal in response to the recent award of contract for the construction of International Airport in Adavi Local Government Area of Kogi State by Governor Ododo to CCECC and Gamji Nigeria Limited.
The airport which will reportedly be constructed on 4000 hectares of land is expected to be completed
But Okutepa in a post on his X handle argued that does Kogi does not yet any sort of airport as only very few people from the state travel by air.
He also argued that the set aside for the airport and the N50 billion construction cost of the project could be deployed “into useful agricultural ventures that can give meaningful employment to many of our youths and able-bodied men and women in Kogi State.”
In addition, he urged Ododo to invest the funds in the much-needed industries and infrastructural development across Kogi state.
The Kogi born Senior Advocate of Nigeria noted that as today Kogi State is the least developed state and does not need an airport.
Rather, Okutepa said what the state needs are good roads, health care facilities as well as secured environment free from bandits and thugs.
“There are no industries in Kogi state. There are no infrastructural facilities in Kogi State. Even the state capital is begging for infrastructural attention and development of tourist sites thereat to no avail. The potential tourists’ sites are non-functional. What does Kogi state have to build international airport. What are the international travelers coming to do in Kogi state. There are no motor-able roads in Kogi state. Power supply is near zero.
“I appeal to the Governor of Kogi state to please in the name of God bury this idea of construction of International Airport,” Okutepa said.
He also suggested that the N50 billion can be invested in massive agricultural projects across the 21 local governments in the state with massive farm settlements that can give employment opportunities to the people of the state.
“I beg the governor in the name of God to invest this money in health care facilities across the 21 local governments in Kogi State. The general hospitals across the 9 local governments in Kogi East in particular are just existing in name. There are no functioning hospitals in the 9 local governments in Kogi East which as at the time I checked are still parts of Kogi state. The existing hospitals are just mere consulting clinics with no good facilities to caretaker for the health care needs of the people.
“The roads in the state are impassable. Even the Kogi Transport Company is dead. What does the state have to build an International Airport. For who and for whom. This idea of an international airport is not borne out of love for the people of the state. No it is not. It is one of those fanciful elephant project to be used to drain the resources of the state for personal unexplained wealth of the few in power.
“I appeal to the governor of Kogi State to have a rethink on this international airport projected. It is not viable. It is not needed. It is unnecessary and unreasonable. It is a gross waste and a misplaced priority. It is a drained pipe to siphon the resources of the state for personal use of political godfathers to the prejudices and detriment of the people. International Airport is the least of the competing needs of the people of Kogi state as at now,” Okutepa said.
