The Ministry of Transport is urging Central Equatoria State government to give it 1.8 kilometers of land to complete the extension of Juba International Airport.

Early last year, the government contracted China Harbors Engineering Company to extend the airport runway by 700 meters.

Captain David Martin, undersecretary at the Ministry, says 95% of the work is complete but the extra land is needed for installation of a lighting system. Once the runway approach lights are installed, the airport will be operational 24/7.

The land is outside the airport demarcation, thus, it is under the Central Equatoria State, officials say.

“Since September last year, so many requests have been made. Surveyors came but up to now, the Ministry did not receive a permit for the company to start working,” Capt. Martin said.

The deputy Manager of Business department at China Harbor Engineering Company, Song Yi, says the airport cannot be 24 hours operational without the lighting system:

“If we do not have the access to the area, we cannot install the approaching light. There is no way for landing if there is no land for the approaching lights system. The airport will not be 24 hours operational.”

The Aviation Authority says the Juba airport will be closed over weekends starting from the 22nd of August to the 30th of April next year.

All flight agencies have been asked to schedule their operations according to this arrangement.