Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) has engaged its local stakeholders including area leaders and the community surrounding the Entebbe international airport on long-term environmentally sustainable growth as well as protection of the airspace and align with environmental policy objectives.
The engagement focused on the overall air quality in the airspace and the environmental impact of aviation operations.
During the engagement, the Director Airports and Aviation Security, Sooma Ayub noted that the current flocks of birds are one of the most serious natural threats to security of air traffic operations.
Sooma highlighted the need to devise means of preventing collision of birds and planes despite the fact that UCAA has not registered any cases such decades ago.
He emphasized this can only be done through cooperation with communities surrounding the airport.
“Many tourists across the world come to Uganda to do bird trekking but they use euro planes. Therefore, we must make sure we must look for ways to prevent these birds from being hazardous to planes,” Sooma told stakeholders.
He cautioned community members to become environmental protection agents, involved in proper disposal of wastes to boost conservation efforts.
Uganda currently has over 1100 different bird species totaling to 50% in Africa and 11% in the World.
“Entebbe is located along the shores of Lake Victoria which is a clear habitat of birds, most people carry out fishing as a way of survival. Unfortunately, when people are fishing, they crush fish to use for fishing and the remains attract birds as feeds. That’s why we caution our people to start being vigilant as away of protecting the environment and also our aviation operations.”
The meeting was attended by the staff of UCAA, leaders from Entebbe municipality, experts and locals from Entebbe.
“Even if we bring here experts and professors from wherever, I think the community around here can lead us in fighting against environmental pollution because most of these birds stay with us. We don’t want anything even if it's just an insect colliding with an aircraft within our spaces.” Sooma highlighted.
In May this year, UCAA registered an increase of passengers to 92,000 departing passengers and 89,000 arriving passengers totaling to 181,000 international passengers with an average of 5800 passengers per day
