By Amin Kef (Ranger)
According to the Minister of Lands, Housing and Country Planning, Dr. Turad Senesie, the Lungi airport is a “New Brand Airport” constructed in a different location in Lungi from scratch.
He revealed that the entrance to the new airport is from the Port Loko Road away from where the old one is and that it will host up to ten (10) planes at every given point in time with a capacity of 50,000 passengers monthly compared to 10,000 monthly using the old airport.
The Minister pointed out that the reason for such a massive construction is to make Sierra Leone a hub for international travels in the sub region in order to bring it at par to Ghana and Senegal further maintaining that for now the new airport is going to be the best in the sub region which he says is a national pride.
Dr Senesie argued that the New Airport is a smart city airport commonly known as a “Green Airport” (solar energy) that supports terminal buildings and runway. He added how the new airport now provides cargo shell that meets international standards that was never there.
He argues that in addition to that, there is a duty free with wide range of goods order than just cigarette and drinks that will be functional 24/7. He also mentioned a new Tower with an elevator constructed with a diamond at the top symbolizing one of the country’s treasures as a nation, a recreational center adjacent to the new airport to attract tourism adds to the ambience of the new facility adding that a five star hotel is going to be part of the new creation, a new runway constructed that accommodates any flight irrespective of size or volume.
The Minister then asked the rhetorical question: What else do we want to prove that this is a New Brand Airport?
Dr Senesie said the question we should be asking now is what do we do with the old airport?
He said as a Government they are still discussing various possibilities including using the old airport as a military air force wing that would accommodate private planes also.
“We are now thinking that it is time to develop our military air force. Similarly we are also thinking of bidding to use the old facility as the ECOWAS aircraft maintenance site. The benefit of this to Sierra Leoneans again goes beyond this world,” he maintained saying Sierra Leoneans deserve the best and that include taste in terms of the country’s national development.
The Minister continued by stating that as a Government, when they said they were going to open up Lungi they were mocked pointing out that when they say they are going to do the Lungi bridge, they have reason for that and the Lungi bridge is going to be built.
He stated that the triggers to the construction of the Lungi Bridge include the new airport that is now near completion adding that next is the New Financial City for Sierra Leone in the same location.
“We have already concluded surveys and beacons fixed on the ground,” he revealed adding that the new financial city will provide for administrative facilities, industries, financial institutions, hotels, housing and so on.
The Minister said such will increase the traffic flow to Lungi and having the bridge will bring about quick returns on investment on the bridge.
He said as a Government they are not guessing as a New City for Sierra Leone is on the horizon and systematically they are developing Sierra Leone in the midst of a world economic crisis in a sustainable way.
Dr Turad Senesie warned that politicizing national development is a bad dream and recommended for the provision of better alternatives to the current national policy drive if there are any on the same subject matter.
