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Construction works at Kabaale International Airport at 55 per cent
Construction works at the Hoima International airport commonly called Kabaale International Airport are over 50% finished. PHOTO/FILE/COURTESY
What you need to know:
- Construction of what will upon completion become Uganda’s second international airport- is part of various oil projects that residents of Hoima and Uganda at large will benefit from.
The construction of Kabaale International Airport in Buseruka Sub County, Hoima District has so far progressed by at least 55 per cent, according to Petroleum Authority Uganda (PAU).
The construction of the airport began in 2018 after SBC Uganda Limited, a joint venture company between Colas Limited of the United Kingdom and SBI International Holdings of Uganda, were permitted by the Ugandan government.
According to the Corporate Affairs and Public Relations Manager PAU, Ms Gloria Ssebikari: ‘‘Carrying out of earthworks, drainage activities, powering of cement and paving of a 3.5km runway are almost complete which makes the works 55 per cent complete.’’
She said that construction of what will upon completion become Uganda’s second international airport- is part of various oil projects that residents of Hoima and Uganda at large will benefit from.
“We are steadily progressing. We expect the neighboring areas to grow so that Hoima becomes a bigger city. The $3.5bn project is expected to be fully complete by February 2023,’’ Ms Ssebikari said.
She added that the major focus is now onto the construction of a multi-purpose terminal building, cargo handling section and passengers section; the airfield ground lighting system, a fire station, car park, access road, control tower and taxi way among other facilities.
Mr Robert Mukombo, an official from Uganda National Oil Company (UNOC) said oil is expected to be refined and exported at the airport where about 60,000 barrels of oil will be produced on a daily basis.
“There’s going to be a high class development once this airport construction is done. We hope to build a refinery here with an industrial park,” he explained.
Compensation
Ms Ssebikari said the PAU officials will soon visit all the 171 villages in the 10 districts through which the oil pipeline is expected to pass to Tanzania, in a bid to establish the compensation rates of their land that is expected to be affected.
The exercise which is expected to begin this week and last for about three weeks will include opening of bank accounts and signing of agreements.
About 2500 households and 3792 people are expected to be compensated right from Hoima to Mutukula in Kyotera District according to Ms Ssebikari.
