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Main airport changes name, yet again
2006-10-09 12:18:46
By Hannah Mwandoloma
The government plans to invest USD 312.9m in air transport infrastructure between 2006 and 2011, according to the Minister for Infrastructure Development Basil Mramba.
Officiating at the handing over ceremony of Dar es Salaam Airport runaway last week, he said the objective of spending such a huge amount of money was to improve the facilities and meet ICAO safety standards at all major airports.
Mramba also announced the new name of the airport to be Julius Nyerere International Airport (JNIA) instead of Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere International Airport.
”From November 1, this year this airport will be known as JNIA and this is a formal decision the government has made not my personal whim,” Mramba explained.
He said many people were finding it difficult to pronounce Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere International Airport’s name properly with equal breath.
”The new name JNIA is fresh and simple for everyone,” he said.
Before declaring the runway taxiways and lighting system at JNIA official opening, Mramba congratulated the Tanzania Airports Authority (TAA), the contractors and financiers of the rehabilitation for a job well did.
On his part, the Director General of TAA, Prosper Tesha, said the total cost of the rehabilitation and upgrading project was Euro 22.9m.
Netherlands and the government financed the project jointly, he said.
Netherlands’ ambassador to Tanzania Karel Kesteren said the Dutch government, through its Development Bank FMO, has approved a further ORET grant of EURO15.1m for further upgrading of the airport.
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