The opening of the long-awaited Kabalega International Airport in Hoima district is now set for October 2023. The announcement was made recently by Amos Muriisa, the public relations officer of SBC Uganda Limited, the contractor in charge of developing the airport.
According to the initial plan for the project, construction of the airport was expected to start in April 2018 and be completed by February 2023. Muriisa noted that the earlier timeline couldn’t be achieved due to the heavy rains and the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, which extended the completion time.
“When Covid was announced in 2020, we had to adhere to the stringent standard operating procedures, especially those of social distancing. The number of staff in the camp was reduced to adhere to the SOPs at construction sites like ours. A reduction in labour automatically increases the time spent to complete a certain task. When the time for project completion came, we had to reclaim all this natural time lost. Completion for phase one of the project stands at 91.75 per cent. [The airport] will be ready by October.”
Also, the disagreement between the government and the contractor over unpaid arrears to the contractor affected the progression of the project.
Muriisa added, “Although the bills of quantities for the projects were done in 2016, construction commenced in 2018. We had registered a significant increase in prices of commodities. The government was a bit hesitant when we approached them to claim our arrears. We finally reached a negotiation. A certain amount was paid and work resumed.”
Although the project was estimated to cost €309 million, a variation in prices pushed for the project to be phased. Phase one of the project catered for the establishment of the runway, aprons, and terminal building to be shared by both the cargo and passengers, among others.
Phase two, which is expected to cost an additional €40 million, will cater for the establishment of the air control tower, fuel firm and 20 accommodation units for airport staff.
Muriisa added, “Since we found that the money wasn’t enough, the technicians told us they would tentatively use the air control tower at Entebbe to manage activities at the Kabalega International Airport. During this same period, the government will be expected to look for money to complete phase two of the project. Since the priority has been put on cargo, the airport terminal will accommodate 50 people during peak hours.”
The establishment of the airport in the Kabalega industrial park is expected to ease the delivery of equipment for the refinery. However, uncertainty remains on the ability of the joint venture partners to raise the $4.5 billion necessary for the establishment of the refinery.
Investment into Uganda’s oil and gas sector has faced heavy opposition from climate activists saying the projects could increase Uganda’s carbon footprint, prompting some banks to drop their interests into financing Uganda’s oil refinery. However, Gloria Sebikari, the corporate affairs manager at the Petroleum Authority of Uganda, insisted that the final investment decision into Uganda’s oil refinery will be announced before the end of the year.
“Some banks that have been announcing the suspension of funding our refinery were never invited. How then do they suspend funding?” Sebikari wondered.
The Observer
