EDITORIAL
I could sometimes remember in 2021 I have the opportunity of having one-on-one interview with former Zamfara Governor Mahmuda Aliyu Shinkafi and I took my time to ask Dallatun Zamfara what was his reason behind initiating the idea of Gusau international cargo airport.
Mahmuda Shinkafi in detail terms explained in the interview that the idea was born out of the celebrate desire to connect our agricultural potential areas to the opportunities that are available in the international space.
He stated in that interview that, the initial idea behind the setting up of the cargo airport was to encourage Zamfara farmers and livestock breeders with the opportunity to boost their agricultural production and access market opportunities outside the country.
He also raised the idea of constructing a mega dam along river Bunsuru so that large scale agricultural production for market opportunities beyond the show of Africa can be enhanced.
Dallatu also stated in the interview that, availing foreign direct investors with the opportunity to access variety of solid mineral deposits was another rationale behind the idea of Gusau International Cargo airport.
He also insisted that his government perceived the idea of Cargo airport alongside the investment house so that trading in commercial strength involving solid minerals and agriculture can be harnessed within the investment house; hence the state can have access to accurate data on the stock of solid minerals mined out of the state, quantity of agricultural produce traded out of the state and also the inventory of revenue accrued by the state through these series of investments.
As for those arguing that Zamfara does not need airport because of its economic under strength I quite agree with them because I belong to that school of thought from the inception but despite the superiority of our arguments I and those who hold similar views with me have to lower down considering the level of deceptive expenditure claimed to have been made by the two administrations before the incumbent one.
I could remember that it was either the late Ahmad Zabarma committee that investigated the state government expenditure under former Governor or the Malam Wakkala transition committee that once indicted the Yari administration for claiming to have expended the sum of N2b for the same airport project which the committee said a single block has not been erected.
The crisis with the Matawalle administration spending over N5b for the same airport which is in its current status is still suspicious in the mind of Zamfara people.
Now to let the matter rest, and to save Zamfara from the lost it has incurred the Dauda administration should endeavor to take project to completion since giant expenditure of the state taxpayers money to the tune of about N8b is claimed to have been expended.
If not for anything, at least we can join the committee of other states that owns an airport and which in the future when our economic strength improves we can reap the benefits of having the facility.
I will also advise His Excellency to kindly contact former Governor Mahmuda Shinkafi for him to be able to access the master plan behind the Cargo Airport, since he said in that interview I had with him that he has provided a blueprint that guides the initiation of the airport idea.
Meanwhile, the Government should work harder to add more to its fight against armed bandits aimed at securing the state and also develop strategy of communicating to the outside world on the successes recorded in making Zamfara state secured so that foreign direct investors can take advantage of the infrastructural investment so far ongoing to concentrate back on the state.
I guess the state government led by Dauda Lawal will do it’s best within the scarce resources to complete the abandoned investment house so that the economic chain between the proposed airport and investment house can be revived.
Since a new foundation laying ceremony of the airport was done on Thursday, 20th day of January 2024, we pray that God almighty shall see us through the challenges that may come along the implementation of the airport project.
