MP. J Mbilinyi at Songwe Airport.
No one can deny that Mbeya City has been playing a key role in the overall development of the Southern Highlands. It is the epicentre of economic and social activities for the regions of Ruvuma, Njombe, Iringa, Mbeya, Rukwa and Katavi.
However, the slow pace of the construction of the international airport at Songwe in the city has become a matter of national concern. In a city that is bustling with all sorts of socio-economic activities, reliable air transport is crucial.
Business requires timeliness of delivery and execution of decisions. The fastest a businessman reaches his destination the better. Business in this southwestern city cannot grow unless air transport is improved.
Even though the aviation industry is generally small in the country, putting quality infrastructure in place is crucial if we are to attract more investors in the sector. Expansive, quality infrastructure will motivate more and more international airlines to land in the country since they will have been assured of security and less risky landing and takeoffs.
The call by the deputy minister for Transport that the contractor presently undertaking the construction of the Mbeya International Airport should be replaced must be expedited. There is no point entertaining a firm that delays completion of such a key infrastructure and therein holding back all other development potentials.
As far as national interests are concerned, Mbeya International Airport should have been operating a long, long time ago.
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