The ongoing expansion and upgrade of Entebbe International Airport will be completed by May 2021 despite delays in construction, the Acting Director Navigation and Airport Security, Ayub Soma has said.
The re-modification of Entebbe International Airport began on May 9 2016. Close to four years later, only 50 percent of the anticipated work is done. The airside expansion projects stand at 37 per cent progress, Cargo Center construction is at 51 per cent completion, the runway stands at 75 per cent completion while the apron is at 65 per cent.
The other areas under refurbishment include the security search park, a new intelligence security structure whose completion rate stands at 50 per cent.
Soma says that says the authority experienced delays in the selection of contractors and consultants that would do the work on behalf of the government. He, however, hastens to add that the upgrade and expansion will still be completed within the set timeframe.
Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) Deputy Managing Director Fred Bamwesigye says that the upgrade and expansion of the airport were undertaken after several evaluations that showed increasing traffic through the airport terminal every year.
CAA records indicate an estimate of 1.8 million passengers received through Entebbe International Airport in 2018, a number which has been growing every year. Domestic Passenger traffic also recorded 41.9 per cent growth from 18,824 in 2017 to 26,711 in 2018. Commercial air crafts registered movement of 10.4 per cent growth with a rise from 29,327 in 2017 to 32,386 in 2018.
This according to Bamwesigye was due to the increase in the number of operators including Fly Dubai, recession air, Tanzania and Jumbo jet. Whereas Imports into the country increased, there was a tremendous decline in the number of goods exported in the country by 4.2 per cent.
– URN
