By Alpha Abu
President Julius Maada Bio says the operations of the new Freetown International Airport will generate economic growth and sustainable development.
He told thousands of people who attended the formal opening of the complex in Lungi last Friday that he would now like to see more carriers take advantage of Sierra Leone’s strategic location to make it a traffic hub in the sub-region especially for South America and Europe bound passengers.
It is said that it can take three and half hours to fly to Recife in Brazil, South America from Lungi.
Acknowledging the efforts of the Turkey-based Summa group of companies, that constructed the airport, President Bio said: “Even in the midst of COVID-19, Sierra Leone is the only country in the entire West Africa that one company invested such a huge sum of money in an infrastructural project and complete it in record time’’.
He therefore registered profound gratitude to Summa for committing resources to such a project at such a challenging time.
‘’Thank you also for demonstrating that Sierra Leone is a credible and conducive destination for foreign direct investments. The private sector in Turkey can be assured that Sierra Leone is open to more Turkish investments’’, Bio said.
He also paid tribute to the Office of Presidential Infrastructure Initiatives, officials in the Ministry of Transport and Aviation and the Sierra Leone Civil Aviation Authority for their commitment towards the actualisation of the project.
He said: ‘’no Government has ever done such massive infrastructural development in this sector’’.
President Bio said he expects Summa to ‘’keenly consider our local content laws in employing and training locals as well as giving opportunities to local businesses’’.
President Bio then used the event to request for a moment’s silence in memory of people killed in the Earthquake in Turkey and Syria.
A host of dignitaries from the sub-region, the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), Belgian SN Brussels Airlines and Mauritius made complimentary statements about the new airport.
They said they were proud of the initiative by the presidency to have such an airport befitting international standards. They described it is as a laudable venture that will bring many benefits to the people of Sierra Leone
A total of $270 Million was used to construct the airport which will be managed by Summa for a period of 25 years under an agreement known as Build, Transfer and Operate (BOT), after which Sierra Leone will take full ownership of the facility.
The airport complex has a passenger terminal, as well as presidential terminal, an ultra-modern control tower, radio telephony, a parallel taxiway linking up with the existing runway that can accommodate bigger aircrafts. Connecting bridges for boarding and disembarking and escalators at the passenger terminal are some of the other facilities available.
There is a vast solar farm that produces 1.5 megawatts of green energy which is considered unique in the sub-region. The airport is expected to take eight aircrafts at a time and serve a million passengers per year.
Copyright © 2023 Politico (06/03/23)
