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The ongoing construction of the new Freetown International Airport in Lungi is expected to be completed later this year and will be open for operations early next year, according to the Chief Minister, Jacob Jusu Saffa.
This is a US$270 million build, operate, and transfer project between the private Turkish SUMMA Group and the Government of Sierra Leone, according to the Chairman of the Office of Presidential Infrastructure Initiative, Dr John Edward Tambi.
It will have facilities such as a new Presidential terminal, passenger terminal, air traffic control, fire and rescue service, and a new building for a warden and navigational aid, Dr Tambi said during an assessment of the progress made on the project by the Chief Minister in Lungi yesterday.
He said the existing runway will be increased from 45 meters to 60 meters on either side to enhance its capacity and with a 3.2 km long and 45 meters wide with the taxiway consisting of 25 per cent of the existing runway.
Four flights can now take off at the same time in the new airport, which nearly doubles the size of the old one which is seven thousand square meters while the new one is 13.6 square meters.
On the build, operate, and transfer project, the Chief Minister emphasized the need for skills transfer from the Turkish group to the Sierra Leonean employees to be able to maintain the facility after its transfer to the Government of Sierra Leone after 25 years of operations by the group.
During the visit, Mr Saffa said he was impressed with the substantial work that has been done so far on the project as 75 per cent of the work will be completed by October before starting operations early next year.
Upon completion, the larger and modern airport will be the biggest single infrastructural accomplishment under the President Julius Maada Bio New Direction led-Government, according to J. J. Saffa.
