Planes at Entebbe Airport
Parliament’s Environment and Natural Resources Committee has recommended for an additional Shs11. 25Bn to the Uganda National Meteorological Authority (UNMA) for the purchase of new equipment to boost weather predictions at Entebbe International Airport.
This is after several airlines complained about the poor weather forecast at the airport.
The Committee recommendation was revealed by Emmanuel Otaala, Chairperson Environment and Natural Resources while presenting the Committee’s report on the ministerial policy statements for 2023/2024 national budget.
“The Committee recommends that Government provides Shs11.25Bn for the following, Shs10Bn for the procurement of a super computer to improve modelling and development of weather patterns forecast so that they can report with accuracy. Shs1Bn for dissemination of weather forecast and Shs250m to revamp and re-operationalisation of the upper weather station at Entebbe airport, otherwise very soon, if we don’t do that, aircrafts will be stopped from landing at Entebbe airport,” Otaala remarked.
The development comes at the time Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) is undertaking the upgrade and expansion works for Entebbe International Airport (EIA). The expansion works are being undertaken by China Communication Construction Company (CCCC).
In order to finance the upgrade of EIA, Parliament in 2015 approved the proposal by government to borrow US$325 million from the Export-Import Bank of China of which US$200 million was for phase one and supervised by Dar Al-Handasah (Shair & Partners) consultants at a cost of US$11,388,315.49.
