Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal has announced that the state’s airport is nearly complete and should be opening in the next four months.
Lawal underlined the airport’s significance in addressing one of the state’s accessibility issues in an interview with Arise TV that aired on Monday.
The governor emphasised the challenges faced by investors trying to get to Zamfara, pointing out that the lengthy and dangerous drive from Abuja—which may take up to seven hours by road—often discourages prospective investors from visiting the state.
He said, “With all these issues, there’s no meaningful investor that would drive from Abuja for example, all the way to Zamfara by road, spending seven hours. That’s what I do whenever I come to Abuja or going back to Zamfara. You think it’s something that any investor would do? With all the challenges of insecurity?
“Of course, you need to open up the state. And open up the state means you need to have an airport.
“I am happy to tell you that the airport is near completion. Within the next three to four months, you’ll be able to fly into Zamfara State, and that is the beginning of good things because the state now is accessible.”
Lawal stated that this development will be instrumental in overcoming some of the security challenges that have plagued the state in recent years, particularly with road travel.
“All these issues of insecurity here and there, people travelling by road, fear of being attacked, it will become history,” he said.
The governor also pointed out that improvements have been made on roads to make travel within the state safer.
He said, “When I took over, you cannot travel 200 meters in Gusau capital on a good road. Whenever it rains, everywhere is flooded, go and see now, what we have done in that regard. That also creates employment because it brings about business activities”.