The Nigerian Air Force has moved its Research and Development Centre from Kaduna to Osogbo, as part of the agreement reached with the Osun state government to take over the state airport site, with additional agreement to establish an aircraft manufacturing plant in Osogbo.
Penpushing reports that the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Oladayo Amao made this known at the official handing over of the proposed state airport Runway and Airport Corridor to the Nigerian Air Force by the Osun Government
The Chief of Air Staff represented by M.O Onilede, said the Air Force authorities would also develop an “Aviation City” in Osun, adding that discussions were already ongoing with necessary foreign partners and that work would commence as soon as the agreement was reached, adding that the Aviation City would be the first of its kind in the continent of Africa.
“The project in the state would also include an aircraft manufacturing plant, a maintenance repair organisation, and an unmanned aerial vehicle production centre, among many others’ the air force boss said.
Penpushing further reports that, he disclosed that Air Force would develop the runway and terminal building of the Osun Airport site as it remains a critical facility for the Air Force projects and to also aid commercial flights.
“If we manufacture aircraft, there will be a need to test fly the aircraft,” he said. We are going to develop the runway; we are going to build a terminal that will be dual purpose. Instead of people going to Akure, Ibadan, or Lagos to take a flight, once that airport runway is ready, it would be available for civil flight operations,” he said.
Penpushing also reports that, Governor Gboyega Oyetola in his remarks thanked the air force authorities for bringing the projects to the state, adding that the airstrip at the Ido-Osun airport site was built in 1936 and used by the then African Volunteer Force during World War II.
The Governor said the Federal Government gave the state the go-ahead to embark on the development of the Airport upon the state appeal, with the hope that its construction would stimulate the socioeconomic development of the state.
“The airport approval was given based on similar financial and technical assistance extended to some state governments at the time. But, while these states today have their airports, ours remain stillbirth until this administration took the bull by the horns.Our untiring efforts to ensure we keep the dream of having an airport in Osun alive birthed today’s occasion,” he said.
Penpushing reports that, Oyetola explained that the handing over of the airport project to the Nigerian Air Force marked the beginning of a mutually-beneficial relationship with the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), and thanked the force for its sustained support for the state.
The Governor added that his administration was able to provide the Air Force with the 100 hectares of land needed for its barracks and the aviation city projects, stressing that the state government got 60 hectares at Ido-Osun, while additional 50 hectares were acquired from the military land along the Osogbo-Kelebe axis of Osogbo.
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