Government yesterday launched a Shs42.6b project to expand Entebbe International Airport’s departure and arrival terminals.
President Museveni in August last year, launched a $200m expansion works on the airport but Mr John Byabagambi, the Works minister, said the project he was launching was independent of what the president had commissioned.
He said President Museveni launched “a mega project” which includes the expansion of the terminal buildings, building more aero bridges, a cargo centre that could be 10 times bigger than the existing one.
“What we are launching today is the remodeling and expansion of the departure and arrival which we didn’t include in the other project,” he said.
On stopping corruption and the shoddy work that has plagued some government projects, Mr Byabagambi said government had set up a layer of supervision for the project.
“This particular project is sensitive in nature that is why it has got layers of supervision. Other than the consultant, we have a committee on the board which is independent, an inter-ministerial committee doing the supervision on a daily basis to see that this project is done well and completed on time,” he said.
The project will be fully funded by money generated from Civil Aviation Authority, according to Dr Rama Makuza, the CAA managing director.
Construction works will be done by Seyani Brothers and will commence on June 1 with the project expected to be completed by December 2017.
The same company undertook works on the Auditor General’s office, Parliament’s car park and Uganda’s High Commission building in Kigali.
In 2007 ahead of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, the capacity of the existing terminal commissioned in 1974, was increased from 250 (arriving and departing passengers) to 410 arriving and 360 passengers departing.
CAA currently projects peak-hour traffic at 930 arrivals and 820 departures by 2033.
Kenya’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, which is currently being refurbished, is expected to handle 20 million passengers once completed.
2017, the year when the project is expected to be complete.
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Source: All Africa
