The Federal Government has withdrawn from the foundation-laying ceremony for the proposed Osun State International Airport in Ede, following a request by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo.
The event, initially scheduled for December 13 by Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke, has been postponed at the ministry’s suggestion to allow time for disputes surrounding the project to be resolved. The decision to relocate the airport from Ido-Osun to Ede, Governor Adeleke’s hometown, has sparked tension and controversy.
According to a state government committee, the original site in Ido-Osun failed to meet basic aviation standards, which led to the proposed move. The project was revived in October 2017, but due to financial constraints, the administration of former governor Rauf Aregbesola opted for a concession.
Before Aregbesola left office, the budget for the project had ballooned to N69 billion. The relocation plan has since reignited a long-standing rivalry between the communities of Ido and Ede, with Ido residents protesting the move earlier this week.
The Ministry of Aviation’s request to postpone the ceremony was conveyed in a letter dated December 6, signed by the permanent secretary, Emmanuel Merinole.
The letter reads, “I wish to refer to your letter Ref. No. S.12/19/1/Vol.VI/188 dated 21 November 2024 on the above subject and to respectfully request Your Excellency to suspend the foundation-laying ceremony of the Osun State International Airport until the issues regarding the petitions over the existing airstrip/airport are resolved and to harmonise the state’s efforts with that of the Federal Government.”
The letter also highlighted that the airstrip is a federal project listed in the ministry’s 2024 budget. It emphasized that the state’s proposal to upgrade it to an international airport must align with federal plans and objectives. The statement added, “Your Excellency may wish to note that the airstrip is a federal project that is captured in the Ministry’s 2024 Appropriation.”
“We also note that you have made arrangements to expand the airstrip to an international airport. In addition, there is a petition indicating there is an existing airstrip where funds have been expended and the need to use the site for the present airstrip instead of a new site.”
The letter emphasised the need for efficient use of public funds, stating, “The Federal Government is mandated to ensure judicious use of funds in order to curtail wastage of resources. As this Airstrip Project is a collaboration between the state and federal governments, it is important we are in sync before the project takes off.”
Federal Government Calls for Postponement and Cancels Osun Airport Project Amid Petitions
The ministry urged the governor to postpone the ceremony. Merinole stated, “Accordingly, Your Excellency is respectfully requested to reschedule the foundation-laying ceremony of the Osun State Airport pending the resolution of the petitions and selection of a mutually agreed date.”
When contacted for clarification, the minister’s media aide, Tunde Moshood, stated that the airport project has been canceled due to numerous petitions against the state government’s decision to continue its construction.
Moshood further explained that the Federal Government is halting the project after uncovering that the previous state administration had obtained approval for the airport at a different location.
His words, “The airport has been cancelled for now because the previous administration got approval to site the airport in a particular location, and there can’t be two approvals at the same time. “Meanwhile, we can’t deny the fact that we were carried along, but you know, sometimes it may be an oversight. Now there are petitions to that effect.”
