Minister Kabatsi warns CAA engineers against shoddy work during expansion of Entebbe airport

The State Minister for Transport and Works Joy Kabatsi has warned engineers undertaking the construction and expansion of the Entebbe International Airport against shoddy work.

Minister Joy Kabatsi made remarks on Thursday while inspecting the ongoing expansion works project on Entebbe International Airport.

The Minister said as Uganda prepares to host delegates from over 50 states ahead of G77+ China Summit in Kampala in April this year, there is need to have standard work at the Entebbe International Airport.

The Minister tasked Civil Aviation Authority Engineers to expedite the construction of the cargo terminal which was due for completion last year in December so as to reduce on congestion of people and their baggage.

Eng. Ayub Sooma, the director and aviation security, said that alternation with the expansion plan and change in weather conditions has greatly affected the timeline hence causing delay.

Eng. Sooma revealed that the re-modification of the passenger terminal building is intended to solve the issues of arrivals and departure.

Sooma said, “Our arrivals and departure are congested and do not give a good feeling to the arriving passenger when entering the country and those departing. Therefore, we have put up remodification and terminal building to give a good feeling and elegancy. “

But he reassured the minister, “We have eased the ways in which when people depart and arrive. The terminal building is purposely to solve security issues which the current format was not solving”

Meanwhile the upgrade and expansion of the Airport project the overall progress stands at 60 % with Cargo Complex (82% progress) , runway 12/30 (94% progress), Apron 4 (50% progress)

Apron 2(90% progress)  Taxiway  A  (82 % progress) ,  Taxiway  A  Extension (90 % progress), Water tanks (80% progress ), Apron 1 Expansion  (52% progress)

It should be noted that the government of Uganda borrowed 200 million US dollars from the Exim Bank of China to carry out the ongoing upgrade and expansion project at Entebbe International Airport.

Edited by David Tumusiime