Officials from Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) have told Members the National economy committee of parliament that UGX. 150BN is required as a post-covid response budget to re-open Entebbe International Airport and sustain operations.
The officials led by CAA Deputy director, Fred Bamwesigye were in an interface with the parliamentary committee chaired by Nakaseke north MP Hon. Syda Bbumba, on Wednesday.
The CAA team tabled a proposed budget of 150 billion shillings which among other expenditures was meant to restart and sustain the operations including a 72 BN wage bill, 33 BN for security equipment, 7.5 BN for port health infrastructure system, 19 billion for modification of the terminal building to meet social distance requirement, 15 BN for completion and furnishing of the concession block and 3 BN for improvement of regional Airport passenger facilitation.
Bamwesigye told members the airport has huge projects to undertake and CCA has no other sources of funding at the moment.
MPs however rejected CAA’s budget proposals saying many of the expenditures presented in the budget are not related to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Lira municipality MP, Jimmy Akena said that CAA is attempting to capitalize on the COVID -19 pandemic for other items yet the committee is focusing on handling issues that will facilitate resumption of airport operations.
The committee advised CAA officials to go back and re-organize their documents and return with a clear breakdown of immediate requirements to reopen Entebbe International Airport.