MPs Impressed With Entebbe Airport Upgrade Expansion Project
Members sitting on the parliamentary committee on Commissions Statutory Authorities and State Enterprise (COSASE) have appreciated the work been done by the civil aviation authority in the expansion of Entebbe International Airport.
While on a guided tour of the Airport by the committee, the MPs commended the works so far done.
Shortly before setting off for a field tour of the Airport, during a meeting held in the pressroom at Entebbe with (UCCA) management, The chairperson of the committee and MP Nakawa West MP, Joel Ssenyonyi urged the authority, to ensure that any funds appropriated to the entity by parliament are properly utilized.
“I need to emphasize that we are not your enemies, if anything we are your partners, to make sure services are delivered to Ugandans, that’s why we normally ask for hard questions because taxpayers want value for money, so we are doing it on their behalf as there representatives.
He said as MPs they pledge to support entities to make sure they have the resources they require to deliver services so it’s our duty as parliament to make sure the resources are available Hon Joel noted.
He said there must be value for money paid by taxpayers emphasizing
that what taxpayers want is the service delivery.
The Director-General civil Aviation (UCAA) Mr. Fred Bamwesigye, said this was a good experience for the MPs to come and see for themselves the papers the authority has been presenting before the committee at parliament about UCAA activities.
‘’This engagement is to show that what we presented in writing is on the ground, I understand the concerns of these representatives of the people, and they would want to be sure that what we are talking about is on the ground, so far I can see most of them have seen and understood more than just simply present papers, really this is the purpose of this engagement Mr. Bamwesigye explained.
However, the MPs expressed concern why UCAA abandoned works for a security search park, shelter, and road at the airport after spending shillings 3.7 billion.
According to papers, the authority presented to the committee meeting at parliament.UCAA contracted IBB International to undertake the project at a cost of shillings 4.7 billion in the 2013/ 2014 financial year.
Procurement for the works was started in May 2014 and the bid was awarded to IBB International ltd, the contract was signed in March 2015. The implementation of the contract was halted because the joint security team was considering having an intergraded system at the airport of which the search park.
