By: Mohamed M. Sesay
After commissioning the USD 270 Million Freetown International Airport at Lungi, President Julius Maada Bio has on Friday the 3rd of March 2023, recommitted to construct the Lungi Bridge which would easily link the capital city to the Airport and Portloko District at large.
“We still believe and will work towards constructing the Lungi Bridge. But in the meantime, we have reconstructed and modernized Tagrin Ferry terminal and brought in ferries”, he assured.
President Bio edified that the old airport at Lungi which his government inherited was a cramped-up, dome-like structure with unmaintained, barely-functional, and very uncomfortable facilities.
He said the experiences at the arrival and departure concourses, the luggage carousel, the airport foyers and exits were a far cry from what passengers would ever experience at modern airports all over the world.
He added that Passenger volumes hovered around a low 200,000. Runways, taxi ways, air aprons were in good condition but needed repairs. He noted that the country was at 20% compliance with ICAO requirements adding that, the country’s airport levies were about the highest in the sub-region. He considered such as an unfashionable legacy of the APC Government.
President Bio intimated that his New Direction Government had carried out repairs and increased the safety and compliance rating of the airport. He said they had procured new fire engines, navigational aids, runway lighting, and invested in emergency services.
He assured that safety and other international ratings of the airport improved dramatically over the last four and half years.
He noted that the experience of flying into Lungi has been better and more comfortable for passengers. In spite of COVID-19, he said passenger volumes have climbed steadily, and more air carriers have added Sierra Leone to their list of destinations.
President Bio referenced that his New Direction manifesto has established a clear view for working within a regional vision to develop a sound and seamless regional air transport system that is safe, reliable, efficient, affordable, well connected within West Africa and integrated within the global network.
President Bio continued that the Mamamah Project was a debt of $350 million USD. He even stressed that it was a debt with colossal interest. He said the International financial institutions and partners had warned against such huge debt. President Bio said the New Freetown International Airport is bigger and more modern and has been built with zero cents in debt. He added that the Airport is a Build Operate and Transfer agreement. President Bio noted that the Turkish people have used their own money to build the brand new terminal and new facilities. “We owe them nothing. After operating the airport for some years, they will give us the airport for free”, he said.
Since 1967 when the Lungi international airport runway was expanded, President Bio affirmed that this is the first time in the history of the country that a completely new international airport terminal has been constructed. He said no Government has ever done such massive infrastructural development in this sector. He explained that his government had undertaken this investment because they believe that it promotes job creation, boosts new sectors of growth especially in the tourism sector, supports international trade, and attracts new investment streams in other sectors.
“I expect that our friends, the SUMMA Group of companies will keenly consider our local content laws in employing and training locals as well as giving opportunities to local businesses”, he stated.
The Vice President of SUMMA, Fatih Bora, recalled that when they signed the agreement in 2020, many pessimists were skeptical about the completion of the airport. He revealed that they were able to do all the works within 16 months. He assured that the New Freetown International Airports is the most sustainable airport within the sub-region with a solar farm generating 1.8mw electricity. He thanked his team for their commitment, time and effort in making sure that the work is completed in record time.
In his statement, the Director General of the Sierra Leone Civil Aviation Authority (SLCAA), Dr. Moses Tiffa Baio, expressed profound thanks and appreciation to President Bio for making the aviation industry a national priority. “Mr. President, you said it in your New Direction Manifesto, and you have done it in your usual TALK and DO fashion”, he said.
Dr. Baio also appreciated the collaborated efforts and support of the Ministry of Transport and Aviation, ICAO, IATA, the Board of Airline Representatives and all other aviation stakeholders. He considered such collaboration as a true demonstration of the ‘No Country Left Behind’ initiative.
It is worth noting that the New Freetown International Airport comes with a New Presidential Lounge, New Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting, New Cargo Terminal, New Taxiway of 2,300m, New Ultra-modern Passenger Terminal, servicing 1.2m passengers a year and with 4 Passenger Boarding Bridges, New Parking lot with space for more than 200 vehicles, New Ground Handling and Management Building, New Passenger Terminal Apron, Runway pavement of about 3,200m, Solar Farm that generates 1.8mw electricity, New Air Traffic Control Tower of about 38m high and New Commercial Zones.
