Expansion and renovation of Entebbe International Airport in preparation for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) will cost sh76b, upon its completion.

Civil Aviation Authority’s Ambrose Akandonda recently revealed that all heads of state will land at a new Very Very Important Persons (VVIP) terminal that is currently under construction at the old airport, before heading to State House Entebbe.

“We are prepared to welcome all the 52 heads of state with all the honours befitting them. Our plan is to see that by September 30, everything will have been completed,” he said, prior to conducting a tour of the works.

Establishment of the arrivals lounge and the departure check-in area will cost sh20.7b whereas five security watchtowers will be built by a Spanish company Indra Electronics worth sh200m. In addition, air traffic management radar and a new aircraft parking apron for over 30 executive jets will be built at a total cost of sh17b.

Generally, the entire airport is undergoing a series of construction including the operational airport (new) of the country. Renovation and expansion is done on the public meeting area for arrivals, runways, digital information display boards and tightening security within and outside the Airport premises, among others; to tally with International Civil Aviation Organization’s standards (ICAO).