Debts worth Shs106b cripple UCAA

Passengers arrive at Entebbe International Airport. If UCAA’s debts are cleared, it would enable the Aviation Authority to solve some pressing demands such as creating an alternative landing site in the event of an emergency. File Photo

What you need to know:

  • Uganda Civil Aviation Authority has outstanding debts of more than Shs106b from government ministries, parastatals, departments and agencies through offering services such as landing, parking, navigation, passenger services, ground rent, office rent and utilities.

Starting July this year, Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) will be audited by International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) in regard to safety and security.
But the UCAA is worried that several facilities at Entebbe International Airport regarding safety and security are outdated.

No other landing site
Mr Fred Bamwesigye Kaggwa, the deputy director Uganda Civil Aviation Authority, while appearing before the Parliamentary Committee of physical infrastructure, told the legislators that they do not meet the standards of ICAO now that the country has no alternative landing sites up to the standard of Entebbe International Airport.
“In case of an emergency at the airport, we are not in position to divert the flights apart from using our neighbourhood country airports in Kenya, Rwanda and Tanzania,” Mr Bamwesigye says.

“The aviation authority is eying Arua aerodrome for an upgrade to act as an emergency landing site in case of any emergencies at Entebbe International Airport. There is also need to develop other aerodromes like Hoima, Soroti and Kasese. But all this requires funding,” he adds.

Upgrading aerodrommes
Only Shs3b in this financial year 2020/21 has been allocated for upcountry upgrading of aerodromes putting the aviation authority in dilemma.

Options
However, according to Mr William Nzoghu, the Shadow Minister for Works and Transport and MP for Busongora North, if the Aviation Authority decides to upgrade one aerodrome per financial year, this would guarantee an alternative landing site in the event of an emergency. This would ensure that before they move to another aerodrome, at least one is complete.

“This will encourage quality work other than scattering resources and deciding to upgrade all aerodromes at once creates loopholes for compromising quality,“ he said.

To Bamwesigye, the Authority has outstanding debts of more than Shs106b from government ministries, parastatals, departments and agencies through offering services such as landing, parking, navigation, passenger services, ground rent, office rent and utilities.

“If these debts are cleared, they would help the Authority to clear some of the pressing demands,” he says.

Mr Bamwesigye adds that currently, UCAA has various projects in relation to airport upgrade and expansion. This is addition to other aviation facilities arising from the need to provide services that match global aviation standards.