Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara has said that construction work on the Gusau Airport project would commence this month.
Matawalle disclosed this on Sunday in Gusau when he received the contractors and consultants that would handle the project.
He said that the airport project was one of the several projects to be executed under the Public Private Partnership (PPP), arrangement for which 1 billion US Dollars was approved by the Afrexim Bank.
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The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the governor signed the agreement on behalf of the state government while Dr Benedict Orama, President of Afrexim Bank, signed on behalf of the bank.
Matawalle said that the arrangement would not cost the state government any money, explaining that the state government would only ensure the provision of a conducive environment for the smooth execution of the project.
He advised the contractors handling the project to source their labourers and the building materials locally.
“We have the manpower you will need. Our engineers will join your workers so that a qualitative job will be executed in record time,” the governor said.
Representatives of both the consulting firm, ULO Consultants Ltd, Mr Uche Oko-ponu, and the project bankers – Heritage Bank – Mr George Oko-obah, in their remarks, said that they were ready and capable of executing the project.
They also explained that the project would create massive employment opportunities for the people of the state.
NAN reports that the governor later led the contractors and consultants to the project site situated along Gusau – Kaura Namoda road in the outskirts of the state capital
Other components derivable from the project include the revival of the Bakalori irrigation dam to generate electricity and improve irrigation farming activities.
The project is also expected to revive the textile industry and provide water to Zamfara communities.
Contractor promises to build school and hospital for host community
Meanwhile, Mr Uche Oko-ponu, the contractor handling the Gusau Airport project in Zamfara, has promised to construct a school and a hospital for the community hosting the facility.
Oko-ponu made the promise on Sunday, when Gov Bello Matawalle took him to inspect the project site at Tashar Rawayya in Bungudu Local Government Area of the state.
Oko-ponu, whose firm, ULO Consultants Ltd, is expected to commence work later this month, made the promise in response to a loud voice from among the villagers that gathered, asking the firm to “build a school for us”.
“We will build a school and a hospital to the community before the project is completed,” he told the elated villagers.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the contractor was in the state to inspect the site where the new Gusau Cargo and Aviation Airport will be constructed.
The airport project is one of the components of the Zamfara economic revival scheme initiated by Gov Bello Matawalle for which the Afrexim bank agreed to invest 1 billion US dollars.
Under the arrangement which would be funded through the Heritage Bank, the state government plans to reactivate the Bakalori dam to enable it produce electricity.
Other components include the reactivation of industries and textiles, as well as improving water supply to the state. (NAN)
ABA/ETS
