The Zamfara government says it plans to convert its aerodrome to a mini airport to accommodate five aircraft at a time.
The commissioner for urban development, Mukhtari Idris, announced this weekend in Gusau when he presented a design of the proposed airport to Governor Abdulazizi Yari.
The commissioner said that the project would be completed within four months, adding that it would provide landing facilities to small aircraft with capacity of conveying between eight and 70 passengers.
He said the airport was expected to displace more than 1,000 residential structures on the airstrip along Sokoto bye-pass road, Gusau, covering a stretch of two kilometres.
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The commissioner restated the intention of the government to demolish all structures in the designated area to give way for the beginning of the work.
He noted that the project became imperative to the government as Zamfara was among the states without an airport.
Idris said that the construction of the airport would help the state to tackle some security challenges facing the government.
Residents of the airstrip have, however, protested against the planned demolition of their houses.
They also organised special prayers for God’s intervention.
