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| Dr Mwakyembe |
The government has awarded contract to expand the Mwanza airport to a
Chinese firm, the National Assembly was told.
The firm, Beijing Construction
Engineering Group, will carry out the work for over 100bn/-, Minister for
Transport, Dr Harrison Mwakyembe has said.
Dr Mwakyembe was responding to a basic question from Richard Ndassa
(Sumve -CCM) who sought to find out when the government will start construction
work to expand the airport.
Dr Mwakyembe said the government through the Tanzania Airports
Authority (TAA) has carried out expansion works on airports across the country
depending on needs and availability of funds.
He said TAA continues to expand Mwanza airport to satisfy needs of
passengers and planes as they continue to grow on a daily basis.
Dr Mwakyembe said in 2007/08 TAA rehabilitated and expanded parking
areas for planes to the level of tarmac at the airport. He said the parking
area can now accommodate five Boeing 737 planes.
"I would like to inform the House that since July last year,
Mwanza airport started providing 24 hours air services," he explained.
The expansion work to be carried out by the contractor from China will
include building a modern passenger lounge that will accommodate one million
passengers annually, elongate the runway by 500 metres and expand and
rehabilitate the control tower, cargo and hangar buildings to accommodate more
planes.
Responding to a supplementary question from Zitto Kabwe (Kigoma -
Chadema) who wanted to know if the government will support efforts to make it
an international airport, Dr Mwakyembe said the government will fully support
such efforts aimed at boosting tourism in the country.
"The importance of Mwanza airport is recognized by the government,
and we will definitely support efforts to make it international," he said.
Source: The Daily News,http://www.dailynews.co.tz
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