The Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) has come out to clarify on the cost of some of items procured for Arua airport, saying the issues raised by the COSASE chairperson were blown out of proportion and context.
Parliament’s chairperson of the Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE) Joel Ssenyonyi had expressed shock at the costs of some of the items procured for the airport.
Revealing this on his official Twitter page, Ssenyonyi said a total of sh687m was spent on a wire fence, whereas each seat cost sh2.4m and each trolley sh2.4m as well.
The team is currently in Arua to monitor ongoing works at Arua airport.
“Sh687m was spent on a wire fence. Also, several baggage trolleys and seats were bought and the seats were interlocked. Every single seat before interlocking costs sh2.4m and each trolley sh2.4m as well. This quite simply does not add up,” Ssenyonyi stated.
However, responding to the team, UCAA says “In reference to the cost of the ongoing construction of a perimeter fence around Arua Airfield at sh687m by Lodina Investment Limited, it is important to note that the contract was awarded through a competitive open domestic bidding process in line with the Public Procurement and Disposal of Assets Act. The perimeter fence is a chain-link mounted on concrete poles and will cover a total length of approximately 7km around the airfield, on completion.”
CAA also explains that the procurement of the items including baggage trolleys and seats was premised on high quality, durability, and the need for standardisation in order to have similar seats to those used by other international airports.
The Arua airfield is located in Arua district, West Nile, Northern Uganda. It is a designated Entry and Exit Point.
Arua is one of the busiest domestic airports in the country with a monthly average of 180 air traffic movements.
Presently, Eagle Air operates scheduled flights with a 19- seater aircraft. Ad hoc and charter flights are also operated by Mission Aviation Fellowship, United Nations, AIM Air, Samaritan Purse and Kampala Aero Club and Flight Training Centre.
Arua is strategically located in the tri-state border of Uganda, DRC and South Sudan. The Airfield serves as a hub for passengers from Southern Sudan and DRC to connect flights through Entebbe International Airport.