The Deputy Minister of Transport and Aviation, Rex Bonapha told newsmen yesterday that the soon-to-be completed Freetown International Airport at Lungi was a brand new Airport, not an extension of the old airport.
Speaking during a conducted tour of the new airport facilities,ย the Deputy Minister who was accompanied by the Permanent Secretary Ministry Transport said the new Airport and the Old were two different entities, one he said was built by the British in 1945 while the other, he said, is being built by President Julius Maada Bio.
He debunked social media reports which claimed that government was only refurbishing the existing structures at the old airport.
He said โAs you can see for yourselves, this is a brand new airport”, maintaining that the new structures are self- evident and which points to the fact that indeed for the first time in the history of this country, Sierra Leone has built its own international airport.
SUMA’s Regional Manager, Erdem Arikan who also addressed journalists during the conducted tour of the new airport said, “What we have here is a brand new and complete airport with its own new facilities”
The manager said the new Airport will ease passengersโ movement, make them more comfortable within the terminal building.
Mr Arikan added that cutting-edge technology is being installed in facilities where necessary so that the airport will meet modern international standards for international airport.
Earlier in his statement during the tour of the old airport, the Manager for Operations Sierra Leone Airport Authority, Lawrence Conteh said he is hopeful that Sierra Leone will for the first time pass safety and other tests which it has repeatedly failed due to poor facilities at the old airport. He said from what he have seen at the new airport, Sierra Leone will definitely pass all Aviation required tests which is due in March this year.
