Officials from the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority have told Parliament that the government owes the body Shs 109bn, a factor that has hindered its operations.
Fred Bamwesigye, the director general of UCAA, said this money excludes Shs 63bn owed by Uganda Airlines.
The officials today appeared before the parliamentary committee on Physical Infrastructure chaired by Dan Kimosho.
Bamwesigye told the committee that was scrutinizing the budget that it was important for the government to pay this debt, not to make their work easy.
“UCAA will continue to lobby the government through the Ministry of Works and Transport to ensure that the debt is cleared,” Bamwesigye said.
Koboko County MP James Baba urged UCAA to work towards eliminating this huge debt by devising means that can force the government to pay.
“Last time we were here in parliament, national water cut us off. The clerk made sure the bill was cleared immediately. Such measures apply to UMEME. Can’t you devise measures that can force this payment?” Baba wondered.
It was also revealed that the entity is incapacitated when it comes to land for expansion, especially regarding Entebbe Airport and other regional airports.
“We seek government support to acquire more land, especially for Entebbe International Airport,” Bamwesigye said.
In the coming financial year, UCAA will prioritize upgrading Kasese Airport, operationalizing Kabalega International Airport, and improving the drainage system at Entebbe, among other issues.
UCAA was established in 1991 with the main objective of promoting the safe, secure, and efficient use and development of civil aviation inside and out of Uganda.
