Governor Adeleke Explains Reasons Behind Osun Airport Relocation Plan

Governor Adeleke Explains Reasons Behind Osun Airport Relocation PlanThe Osun State government, under Governor Ademola Adeleke, has clarified that technical challenges, particularly the inadequate runway capacity, were the primary reasons behind the decision to relocate the state airport project to Akoda, Ede. This explanation comes amid protests from residents of Ido-Osun in the Egbedore local government area, who expressed their dissatisfaction on Tuesday over the move, which will see the airport project shifted from their community to Ede, the hometown of Governor Adeleke.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

In defense of the relocation, Lai Oriowo, a member of the airport project’s technical committee, emphasized that the decision was based on technical and logistical considerations rather than political motives. According to Oriowo, the site in Ido-Osun faced significant limitations. He pointed out that the existing runway at the location, which measures 1.67 kilometers, did not meet the required standards for a standard airport.

“The minimum runway length for a standard airport should be 4.8 kilometers, but the current runway is only 1.67 kilometers long, which is inadequate for the type of aircraft intended for operation,” Oriowo explained. “The runway needed for class 4E aircraft should be 3.6 kilometers by 45 meters, with an additional 750 meters on both ends for the Runway End Safety Area. This would bring the total runway length to 5,100 meters, which exceeds the available 3,250 meters at the current site.”

Oriowo further noted that the location’s infrastructure posed other challenges, including the need to relocate Adeleke Secondary School and displace several settlements in the area. The existing culverts and drainage systems were also unsuitable for an airport. The required culvert length for the runway should be 150 meters, but the current one is only 65 meters, making it inadequate.

Despite these explanations, Adewale Adebayo, Chairman of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) in Osun State, criticized the move, accusing the governor of prioritizing his hometown, Ede, over other parts of the state. “This is pure nepotism and anti-democratic,” Adebayo said. “He is governing the state as if he is the governor of Ede and not of Osun. Most of his government initiatives are concentrated in Ede, as if the other communities that voted for him do not matter.”

While the state government has justified the relocation for technical reasons, Adebayo pointed out that the airport project, initially planned for Ido-Osun, had long been seen as a crucial development for improving transportation infrastructure, attracting investment, and driving economic growth across the entire state.

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