Inside the terminal building
President Ian Khama has implored the ministry responsible for aviation to market the sector so that airports like Sir Seretse Khama International Airport (SSKIA) are utilised.
“With the commissioning of this airport, I urge the Ministry of Transport and Communications to continue to market our aviation industry so that we can attract more major players to utilise our airports through inter alia, the signing of Bilateral Air Service Agreements (BASAs),” Khama said when commissioning the Gaborone based airport.
“I am made to understand that we have so far concluded 28 BASAs.” The SSKIA which was supposed to have been completed in 2010 in time for the FIFA World Cup in South Africa has been one of the most embarrassing project management failure in the country—that cost taxpayers millions in Pulas.
Government has always been speaking in tongues on whether the project was meant for world cup or not. The Minister of Infrastructure, Science and Technology Nonofo Molefhi said the airport was a fast tracked project which was supposed to have been completed before the 2010 World Cup hosted by South Africa. He added that the decision to fast track the project which was taken in good faith had a bearing in some of the challenges that emerged during its implementation.
“The timing of the project which coincided with the construction boom in South Africa as they were preparing to host World Cup impacted negatively on the project because most of the building materials used in the project was imported from them or passed through their ports from other countries,” he said.
“The airport expansion and refurbishment project was initially planned for completion in 2010. However, that was not possible due to the numerous challenges that were encountered. In this respect, a major challenge that added to the impediment of timely delivery that is worth mentioning is poor construction management. Indeed it serves as a lesson, to us as Batswana that the choice and the management of contractors we engage in our major projects is critical.”
According to Khama, in the past few years the country has realised increased passenger volumes and Aircraft movements. In this respect, there is still potential for Botswana to grow and benefit immensely from this industry.
Some of the major regional and international flights using the SSKIA are Kenya, Airways, Ethiopian Airlines and South African Airways. There are other plans to bring more agreements as a link between Botswana and the rest of the world.
The Sir Seretse Khama International Airport Terminal has evolved from a small makeshift terminal situated adjacent to the University of Botswana and the National Stadium, subsequently relocating in 1984 to a slightly bigger building remotely constructed about 20 kilometres from the City Centre.
Over the years, the growth of the aviation sector has kept pace with the growth of the City, noting that the City has grown towards the airport, with some of the essential services in logistics being situated closer to the airport for convenience and synchronisation of efforts as per the planning pertaining to transport services, stated the President.
According to Khama, all our four major airports have undergone development and improvement in the last 10 years. “In this regard, huge capital investment work was completed at the Francistown Airport in 2011; the new terminal building at Kasane International Airport is scheduled for completion in the next 12 months; and a new control tower and technical block at Maun Airport are also due for completion early next year, while a new terminal building is at design stage at the same location.”
The SSKIA runway was extended from 3000m to 4000m in 2011 to handle the largest commercial jet aircraft. It is also planned that the terminal building will be expanded in the short term for purposes of making it more functional and accommodates increased passenger growth.
