|
|
|
|
| National |
| Mzuzu Airport illegal,Mzuzu Airport illegal |
|
by
Peter Makossah,Peter Makossah, 05 January 2004
-
09:25:23
|
Government has said that Mzuzu Airport in the North, where an Air Malawi passenger plane crashed into a minibus on takeoff last week instantly killing one person in the vehicle is wrongly and illegally positioned as it is at the heart of Mzuzu City and along the Mzuzu-Karonga main road.
Transport and Communication Minister Clement Stambuli said in an interview on Sunday that government is aware that the Mzuzu Airport’s position is not in tandem with proper aviation structures, adding that government intends to construct a new Mzuzu Airport in Ekwendeni within a period of nine to 12 months.
“Mzuzu Airport should move as soon as possible. Nowhere in the world is an airport located within human habitation because aviation accidents always occur during takeoff and landing. Feasibility studies have already been done and the Ministry of Transport and Communication together with the Department of Aviation are working hand in hand to ensure that a new airport is constructed in Mzuzu,” said Stambuli.
He said that President Bakili Muluzi has since instructed that a new Mzuzu Airport be constructed as soon as possible because the airport is a priority to the government as it falls together with Chileka Airport as candidates of a Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) project.
Stambuli explained that under the BOT project the new Mzuzu Airport alongside Chileka Airport the government would enter into a contract with the private sector to run the airports for a specific period say for 20 or 50 years.
He said: “Mzuzu Airport is a priority to the government as it falls under a special development initiative of the Ntwara Corridor which includes Malawi, Tanzania, Zambia and Mozambique. In this case Mzuzu Airport is an anchor to the Ntwara initiative and thus it needs urgent attention.”
But Stambuli said that the Mzuzu Airport is insecure because of illegal developments that are being constructed in the city near the airport.
“Illegal developments near the airport in our view as the Ministry of Transport and Communication together with the Department of Aviation are a danger to the operation of the airport,” said the minister.
A plane carrying Second Vice President Chakufwa Chihana and seven other passengers swerved off the runaway into the Mzuzu-Karonga road on Saturday, hitting a passenger and killing a senior lecturer at Mzuzu University Shaibu Mapira.
The Air Malawi plane, a Cessna 208 number 7QYKU christened Soche with eight passengers on board started taxing to the northern tip of the airport at 7:10 AM for takeoff. The plane left the runway and proceeded to the main road where its propeller collided with a minibus travelling from Luwinga to town.
Mzuzu Airport is situated close to three high-density squatter townships, Chibanja, Chiputula and Chibavi. The airport has no fence and is not a restricted area. As a result, people, dogs and goats pass through the airport at will.,
Government has said that Mzuzu Airport in the North, where an Air Malawi passenger plane crashed into a minibus on takeoff last week instantly killing one person in the vehicle is wrongly and illegally positioned as it is at the heart of Mzuzu City and along the Mzuzu-Karonga main road.
Transport and Communication Minister Clement Stambuli said in an interview on Sunday that government is aware that the Mzuzu Airport’s position is not in tandem with proper aviation structures, adding that government intends to construct a new Mzuzu Airport in Ekwendeni within a period of nine to 12 months.
“Mzuzu Airport should move as soon as possible. Nowhere in the world is an airport located within human habitation because aviation accidents always occur during takeoff and landing. Feasibility studies have already been done and the Ministry of Transport and Communication together with the Department of Aviation are working hand in hand to ensure that a new airport is constructed in Mzuzu,” said Stambuli.
He said that President Bakili Muluzi has since instructed that a new Mzuzu Airport be constructed as soon as possible because the airport is a priority to the government as it falls together with Chileka Airport as candidates of a Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) project.
Stambuli explained that under the BOT project the new Mzuzu Airport alongside Chileka Airport the government would enter into a contract with the private sector to run the airports for a specific period say for 20 or 50 years.
He said: “Mzuzu Airport is a priority to the government as it falls under a special development initiative of the Ntwara Corridor which includes Malawi, Tanzania, Zambia and Mozambique. In this case Mzuzu Airport is an anchor to the Ntwara initiative and thus it needs urgent attention.”
But Stambuli said that the Mzuzu Airport is insecure because of illegal developments that are being constructed in the city near the airport.
“Illegal developments near the airport in our view as the Ministry of Transport and Communication together with the Department of Aviation are a danger to the operation of the airport,” said the minister.
A plane carrying Second Vice President Chakufwa Chihana and seven other passengers swerved off the runaway into the Mzuzu-Karonga road on Saturday, hitting a passenger and killing a senior lecturer at Mzuzu University Shaibu Mapira.
The Air Malawi plane, a Cessna 208 number 7QYKU christened Soche with eight passengers on board started taxing to the northern tip of the airport at 7:10 AM for takeoff. The plane left the runway and proceeded to the main road where its propeller collided with a minibus travelling from Luwinga to town.
Mzuzu Airport is situated close to three high-density squatter townships, Chibanja, Chiputula and Chibavi. The airport has no fence and is not a restricted area. As a result, people, dogs and goats pass through the airport at will. |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
