Insecurity: FEC approves airstrip in Benue

Nigeria's Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved significant infrastructure and health initiatives aimed at addressing security challenges and improving public health. The council greenlit the construction of a new airstrip in Gboko, Benue State, a move intended to bolster security operations against bandits and terrorists in the Middle Belt region.

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For us in aviation, we just had one memo. We sought council’s approval for the construction and development of the Gboko airstrip in Benue State, and it was graciously approved by council.

The Gboko airstrip project was awarded to CCECC Nigeria Limited with a contract value of ₦34,398,211,538.64. Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo highlighted the airstrip's strategic importance, noting that Gboko is a key agricultural hub. The facility will serve as a base for security agencies, humanitarian efforts, and emergency medical services in an area facing persistent security concerns.

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It will also be a base for humanitarian activities and services and emergency medical services. That is how important that area is, and we thought it was important to put an airstrip there to confront and address these challenges we are facing around the axis.

In parallel, the FEC approved the upgrade of the snake-bite treatment center in Kaltungo, Gombe State, to the National Snake Bite Research and Medical Centre. Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate, explained that this upgrade expands the center's mandate to include clinical services, research, and training. Snake bites are identified as a significant public health issue in Nigeria, particularly affecting rural populations, with an estimated 43,000 cases annually leading to death, disfigurement, and disability.

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First was the upgrade of the snake-bite treatment centre in Kaltungo, Gombe State, into the National Snake Bite Research and Medical Centre in Kaltungo, Gombe State, with an expanded mandate for clinical services, research and training to respond to the need that exists in our country for adequate attention to snake bites.

The new national center is expected to be a crucial institution for addressing snake bite challenges, especially in the Northeast, Northwest, and North Central geopolitical zones of Nigeria. These approvals underscore the government's commitment to enhancing national security and tackling pressing health issues across the country.

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Snake bite remains a significant yet neglected public health challenge, particularly in our rural communities here in Nigeria, in the savannah regions, but also across the subregion.