By Samuel Adeola
Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, on Tuesday flagged off the first commercial flight at the new Gateway International Airport in Ilishan-Remo.
The ValueJet aircraft, carrying 90 passengers, departed for Abuja at 10:10 a.m.
Abiodun said the project, which began in 2021, was part of his administration’s plan to build a modern multimodal transport system.
“Some mocked this project, calling it a photo op and a dump site, but today we have proved them wrong,” he said.
He noted that the airport, which had its first test flight in February 2023, was completed within two years and meets all aviation standards.
The facility, he added, is part of an Aerotropolis that will include major developments such as a textile plant and a Customs Village.
The governor thanked the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), and Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, for their support.
Speaker of the State Assembly, Oludaisi Elemide, described the project as a dream come true for Ogun’s founding fathers, while NCAA Director General Chris Ona-Najomo lauded the state for meeting regulatory standards.
