By Editor
The Osun State Government has explained its decision to relocate the state airport project from Ido-Osun to Ede, citing the need to comply with international aviation standards and address technical inadequacies at the original site.
Speaking to journalists in Osogbo on Wednesday, Otunba Lai Oriowo, a member of the Osun Airport Technical Committee, disclosed that a total of Five Million, Ninety-One Thousand, One Hundred and Sixty-One Naira, Twenty-Five Kobo (N5,091,161.25) was paid to the Nigerian Meteorological Agency for Wind Rose and Daily Wind Analysis. He added that Thirty Million Naira (N30,000,000.00) had also been paid as the fee for the airport design.
Explaining the relocation, Oriowo stated that the perimeter survey of the Ido-Osun site revealed a total area of approximately 3,871,806.34 square meters (387.18 hectares). He also stated that the existing runway, measuring only 1.67 kilometres, did not meet the required standards.
“The minimum runway for a standard airport is 4.8 kilometres. The runway length required for a class 4E aircraft is 3,600 x 45 meters, with an additional minimum distance of 750 meters on both approaches for the Runway End Safety Area (RESA) and Clearway, making a total of 5,100 meters against the available dimension of 3,250 meters,” he explained.
He further highlighted other technical challenges at the Ido-Osun site, including the proximity of Adeleke Secondary School and settlements that would require relocation. The existing culverts, measuring 65 meters, according to Oriowo, fell short of the required 150 meters to accommodate the runway width and its strip. He added that infrastructure such as the uncompleted terminal building, control tower, and fire and rescue buildings were also poorly positioned relative to the runway, noting that safety areas at both ends of the runway were deemed inadequate, with insufficient land available for proper RESA compliance.
“These findings made the old site unsuitable for a full-fledged airport,” Oriowo said, adding that the site would still serve as a training school for the Air Force based on an agreement between the state and the Air Force.
Regarding the relocation to Akoda Ede, Oriowo revealed that a team of aviation experts visited the state in May 2024 to assess proposed sites. Following their recommendations, he explained that a perimeter survey of the Akoda site showed a total area of 1,922.111 hectares, which allows for the construction of a 5.6-kilometre runway that meets international standards.
Emphasizing the government’s commitment to adhering to aviation standards, Oriowo remarked, “We are technical people and will not delve into political issues. Our focus is on the technical conditions of the Ido-Osun airport site and the standards prescribed by aviation regulations and the International Civil Aviation Authorities.”
He noted his involvement in the project’s inception under former Governor Oyinlola and highlighted the efforts of successive administrations. “We all remember the last government actually ceded the project and the site to the Air Force. The letter to that effect is available. When the new administration came on board, it had a duty to set up a technical committee to consider all the issues for a decision. The committee comprises professionals in the aviation sector from far and near,” Oriowo concluded.
