Gov. Tanko Al-makura of Nasarawa State on Monday said the planned construction of a cargo airport in Lafia would add value to the economic well-being and revenue base of the state.
Almakura said while receiving the panel on Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) from the Federal Ministry of Environment in Lafia, that the project was not a luxury.
He said it was coming at a time when states must diversify their sources of revenue to remain viable in the face of dwindling allocation from the federation account.
“The cargo airport project will be a fulcrum for effective development which will serve to boost economic activity and generate revenue for the state.”
The governor said over N10 billion was needed to fund the project, but a Chinese consulting firm would provide 75 per cent of the fund while the state would give only 25 per cent.
He said when completed, the airport, which would offer cargo and civil aviation services, would complement the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
He added that road would be constructed to link the FCT and the airport which would take only an hour to navigate as opposed to over three hours to Kaduna airport, currently the closest to the FCT.
Earlier, Dr Nkimjika Ekeh, Chairman, EIA Panel Review, said the mission in the state was to confirm if what was submitted to the ministry in earlier reports tallied with what was on ground.
Ekeh, who commended the state government for undertaking the project, said the visit was not to seek ways of discrediting the initiative.
He said the mission was to make sure the project conformed with laid down rules and procedures for the overall interest of the state and the nation.