The Lagos State Authorities has stated no litigation is delaying the development of a world airport within the Lekki space of the state to enrich the Murtala Muhammed Airport.
In response to the state Commissioner for Info and Technique, Gbenga Omotoso, all obligatory paperwork are with the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria for the graduation of the airport.
The Federal Authorities authorized the development of the airport on October 10, 2022, for the power to serve about 5 million passengers yearly from the Lekki, Ajah, and Epe areas of Lagos State as soon as accomplished.
Throughout the handover of the approval letter to Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, former Aviation Minister, Hadi Sirika, stated the state was certified to embark on the venture, citing the cosmopolitan nature of Lagos.
The PUNCH reported in October this yr that authorized challenges may probably delay the venture.
A dispute over an settlement with a terminal operator within the state, Bi-Courtney Aviation Companies Restricted, raised issues that the proposed airport would possibly violate current contracts.
Earlier in January, Omotoso had additionally assured that the airport development can be prioritised within the “bold 2024 N2.2tn price range” of the state.
Nonetheless, the development of the venture has been delayed by over two years since its approval.
In a phone interview with Saturday PUNCH on Thursday, Omotoso defined that the venture can be financed by means of a public-private partnership, with personal buyers bringing within the obligatory funding.
He added, “I’m not conscious of any authorized obstacles. The Federal Authorities has granted approval, and we now have signed all obligatory paperwork with the federal airport authority. There aren’t any authorized encumbrances.”
The commissioner confirmed that a number of buyers had been within the venture.
Talking additional, Omotoso stated, “We aren’t going to finance it from our steadiness sheet. It’s one thing that can be accomplished by means of public-private partnerships. It isn’t one thing that one can repair the completion at a selected time. You continue to have to boost the funding. Already, the location has been recognized across the Aiyetoro area. The venture is on and it’s not one thing we must always fear about.”
Omotoso added that the Lekki Worldwide Airport was a precedence for Governor Sanwo-Olu, who had promised to ship the venture earlier than the top of his tenure.