By David Muwanga

THE Government should rehabilitate four airfields and accelerate the process of putting in place a radar system to manage air traffic, a statement has said.

The statement, issued by the infrastructure committee of the Presidential Investors Round Table, said the poor condition of the airfields requires urgent attention.

The airfields are in Kasese, Arua, Soroti and Ntungamo.

“Kasese and Arua airfields should be upgraded by bitumising the three kilometre runways and installing modern facilities. Soroti should be upgraded from 1.8km to 2.5km, while the Ntungamo airfield should be brought on board,” the statement said.

“There is need to put a control tower at Gulu airfield, re-open Tororo airfield and put a perimeter fence,” the statement said.

It said the Government should negotiate with Das Air and other carriers to reduce freight costs, which would lead to an increase in the volume of exports at Entebbe.

“This would translate into having a bulk facility at Entebbe Airport because now it is cheaper to transport fresh produce to Nairobi by road,” the statement said.
It said although jet fuel is tax-free, the high costs are due to high transport costs.

“A ferry port should be constructed at Entebbe so that fuel tanks from Mwanza and Kisumu can land there. This would reduce transport costs,” the statement said.