Construction works for Hoima International Airport in Kabaale sub-county, Hoima district stands at 56 percent and the airport is expected to be completed by February 2023.
Based in a remote region close to Lake Albert, some four hours from Uganda’s capital Kampala, the creation of Hoima International Airport is crucial to the development of a sustainable oil industry in Uganda.
The construction works kicked off in April 2018 after government acquired a loan of US $309 million (about Shillings 1.1 trillion) from Standard Chartered Bank and UK Export Finance for the first phase of the project.
The project is being executed by SBC Uganda Limited-a joint venture company between UK’s Colas limited and Shikun and Binui namely SBI International Holdings AG.
Speaking to Spice FM, Amos Muriisa the project Public Relations Officer says the project progress would be at 59% but they were interrupted by COVID-19 Pandemic.
He says that so far 3.5 kilometers runway is almost complete with 90% works complete and they expect by the end of this year air cargo will be landing on the airport to deliver oil refinery materials.
Muriisa adds that they are currently constructing accommodation for airport operators, Cargo terminal building and rescue firefighting system.
The Hoima district boss Kirungi Kadiri is happy with the construction works and urged residents in Hoima to tap into the existing opportunities that will be brought about by the airport infrastructure like in the agriculture sector.