News / Local
Mugabe orders CAAZ to open Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport
20 Oct 2013 at 03:44hrs | Views
PRESIDENT Mugabe has ordered the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe (CAAZ) to open the Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport by 1 November without fail, the Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development, Dr Obert Mpofu, said during a tour of the multi-million-dollar facility in Bulawayo yesterday.
The other notable people who toured the airport with Dr Mpofu were the Minister of State for Bulawayo Province Eunice Nomthandazo Moyo, Senator Thokozile Angela Mathuthu and Zanu-PF Central Committee members that included Molly Mpofu.
The airport has been under construction for the past 10 years.
In an interview with Sunday News after taking to task the airport manager, Mr Passmore Dewa, who was leading the tour, for the delays in the opening of the state-of-the-art facility, Dr Mpofu said President Mugabe had expressed displeasure with the continued stalling of the opening of the airport.
"Major works have been done and definitely the airport will be opened by the 1st of November. That is the directive we have been given. We have communicated with the authorities (CAAZ) who have said they are speeding up work so that by the first of next month the airport will be functioning," said Dr Mpofu.
Dr Mpofu said President Mugabe's directive was cast in stone and the Government would not tolerate any further delays.
He said: "There are no two ways about it, His Excellency the President has expressed disappointment about the delays and he has instructed me to personally tour the airport and make sure that it is opened sooner rather than later. I am impressed by the work that has been done and I believe that the airport can now be operational while we put finishing touches. The work that is yet to be done is not that serious to stop us from opening the airport."
During the tour, Dr Mpofu made it clear to Mr Dewa that the 1st of November ultimatum would not be moved.
"You will have to make do with what you have. We do not want any excuses anymore; other requirements will be speeded up along the way. The actual commissioning will be done later, for now we want the airport to work. The instruction is very clear, let passengers use the airport because using the old airport is an inconvenience.
"You seem to enjoy working on the airport. Look at all the people who are touring the airport with me. You can see the pressure I am under; I don't want to come back here again except as a passenger," Dr Mpofu told Mr Dewa.
Mr Dewa told Dr Mpofu that they would need three weeks to set up a public announcements system, computers and the communication systems but Dr Mpofu would have none of it.
"I want all communication systems to be installed by the end of the week. Three weeks is too much, these things should have been done long back . . . Some of the equipment is getting worn out because of lack of use, this is unacceptable," Dr Mpofu said.
In an interview, Mr Dewa said they would work day and night to have the airport ready by 1 November.
"I go by what the minister has said. It's a directive from the minister so we have to work within that deadline. If it means we must work day and night to have the airport ready we will do so. All the key security issues are in place so I think we can achieve the goal we have been set. All the specialist equipment is fully functional, hopefully by November 1 we will be done with everything," he said.
CAAZ chief executive officer Mr David Chawota was in tune with Dr Mpofu's directive as he said according to their plans the new terminal would be ready for trial runs at the beginning of next month.
"If you remember work had stopped because there was no money. However, Government has released $1,3 million for the contractors and they have resumed work. The Government has also released another $1 million to buy some of the equipment that will be used at the new terminal. We hope we can open the new terminal during the first week of November for trial runs," he said.
Mr Chawota said the opening of the new terminal would not signal the end of the project.
"We are not saying the whole project is now complete, we are only saying we can open the new terminal while other works are still being completed," he said.
The whole project, which is now around 95 percent complete, still requires in excess of $2,5 million to be completed.
Sources at the airport said the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development, Mr Munesu Munodawafa, visited the airport last week to assess progress as pressure mounted on Government to complete the project.
Work on the airport was recently re-started after the Government availed $2,3 million for the project which had stalled after contractors stopped work due to lack of money.
There are about 15 contractors that are working on the project that includes the refurbishment of the international arrivals' hall, a variety of shops, a car park and a separate State pavilion.
The airport has been facing major funding constraints which have seen the refurbishment project taking more than 10 years.
The upgrading of the Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport, named after the late Vice President Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo, was initially scheduled to be completed in December 2004.
In April 2003 the project ground to a standstill due to a nationwide shortage of cement.
Over the years continued lack of funds has resulted in more delays on the project.
Last year, there were reports that the airport would be ready by December but officials missed the deadline. This year there was hope that it would be open during the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair that was held in April.
Again the set day was missed.
Stakeholders in Bulawayo and in the tourism sector have voiced their concern over the continued delays in completing the upgrading of the airport.
At one time Zimbabwe Tourism Authority chief executive officer, Mr Karikoga Kaseke, said players in the tourism sector were wondering whether Government wanted to complete the airport or was just politicking.
Reports said delays in the completion of the project had seen some of the infrastructure getting dilapidated before use.
Some companies and service providers that had signed contracts to operate at the airport when the project started have withdrawn citing delays.
The new terminal is set to conform to international standards.
The other notable people who toured the airport with Dr Mpofu were the Minister of State for Bulawayo Province Eunice Nomthandazo Moyo, Senator Thokozile Angela Mathuthu and Zanu-PF Central Committee members that included Molly Mpofu.
The airport has been under construction for the past 10 years.
In an interview with Sunday News after taking to task the airport manager, Mr Passmore Dewa, who was leading the tour, for the delays in the opening of the state-of-the-art facility, Dr Mpofu said President Mugabe had expressed displeasure with the continued stalling of the opening of the airport.
"Major works have been done and definitely the airport will be opened by the 1st of November. That is the directive we have been given. We have communicated with the authorities (CAAZ) who have said they are speeding up work so that by the first of next month the airport will be functioning," said Dr Mpofu.
Dr Mpofu said President Mugabe's directive was cast in stone and the Government would not tolerate any further delays.
He said: "There are no two ways about it, His Excellency the President has expressed disappointment about the delays and he has instructed me to personally tour the airport and make sure that it is opened sooner rather than later. I am impressed by the work that has been done and I believe that the airport can now be operational while we put finishing touches. The work that is yet to be done is not that serious to stop us from opening the airport."
During the tour, Dr Mpofu made it clear to Mr Dewa that the 1st of November ultimatum would not be moved.
"You will have to make do with what you have. We do not want any excuses anymore; other requirements will be speeded up along the way. The actual commissioning will be done later, for now we want the airport to work. The instruction is very clear, let passengers use the airport because using the old airport is an inconvenience.
"You seem to enjoy working on the airport. Look at all the people who are touring the airport with me. You can see the pressure I am under; I don't want to come back here again except as a passenger," Dr Mpofu told Mr Dewa.
Mr Dewa told Dr Mpofu that they would need three weeks to set up a public announcements system, computers and the communication systems but Dr Mpofu would have none of it.
"I want all communication systems to be installed by the end of the week. Three weeks is too much, these things should have been done long back . . . Some of the equipment is getting worn out because of lack of use, this is unacceptable," Dr Mpofu said.
In an interview, Mr Dewa said they would work day and night to have the airport ready by 1 November.
"I go by what the minister has said. It's a directive from the minister so we have to work within that deadline. If it means we must work day and night to have the airport ready we will do so. All the key security issues are in place so I think we can achieve the goal we have been set. All the specialist equipment is fully functional, hopefully by November 1 we will be done with everything," he said.
CAAZ chief executive officer Mr David Chawota was in tune with Dr Mpofu's directive as he said according to their plans the new terminal would be ready for trial runs at the beginning of next month.
"If you remember work had stopped because there was no money. However, Government has released $1,3 million for the contractors and they have resumed work. The Government has also released another $1 million to buy some of the equipment that will be used at the new terminal. We hope we can open the new terminal during the first week of November for trial runs," he said.
Mr Chawota said the opening of the new terminal would not signal the end of the project.
"We are not saying the whole project is now complete, we are only saying we can open the new terminal while other works are still being completed," he said.
The whole project, which is now around 95 percent complete, still requires in excess of $2,5 million to be completed.
Sources at the airport said the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development, Mr Munesu Munodawafa, visited the airport last week to assess progress as pressure mounted on Government to complete the project.
Work on the airport was recently re-started after the Government availed $2,3 million for the project which had stalled after contractors stopped work due to lack of money.
There are about 15 contractors that are working on the project that includes the refurbishment of the international arrivals' hall, a variety of shops, a car park and a separate State pavilion.
The airport has been facing major funding constraints which have seen the refurbishment project taking more than 10 years.
The upgrading of the Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport, named after the late Vice President Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo, was initially scheduled to be completed in December 2004.
In April 2003 the project ground to a standstill due to a nationwide shortage of cement.
Over the years continued lack of funds has resulted in more delays on the project.
Last year, there were reports that the airport would be ready by December but officials missed the deadline. This year there was hope that it would be open during the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair that was held in April.
Again the set day was missed.
Stakeholders in Bulawayo and in the tourism sector have voiced their concern over the continued delays in completing the upgrading of the airport.
At one time Zimbabwe Tourism Authority chief executive officer, Mr Karikoga Kaseke, said players in the tourism sector were wondering whether Government wanted to complete the airport or was just politicking.
Reports said delays in the completion of the project had seen some of the infrastructure getting dilapidated before use.
Some companies and service providers that had signed contracts to operate at the airport when the project started have withdrawn citing delays.
The new terminal is set to conform to international standards.
Source - Sunday News
