ENTEBBE AIRPORT STAFF BANNED FROM USING MOBILE PHONES WHILE ON DUTY

BY OUR REPORTER

KAMPALA. The civil aviation authority CAA has put in place measures aimed at curbing corruption and extortion at the country’s only international airport. This follows several complaints of extortion and missed flights by some travellers on social media for the past few days. Some of the travellers alleged that were stopped from boarding their respective flights after failing to bribe the airport staff. The complainants alleged that they were deliberately made to miss their flights after failing to part with a bribe of 100 dollars.

According to Olive Lumonya the CAA deputy director general, it has been established that mobile phones hamper the airport staff from executing their work effectively. However, it’s not the first time that CAA is instituting a ban on mobile phones by its staff. Last year in December it issued a similar ban.

She said that in addition to the ban on mobile phones, all staff will be required to wear name tags for proper identification.

Addressing a press conference today she also revealed that it will only be the responsibility of the airport managers to bar any traveler from boarding any flight. “It has been resolved that once a passenger has gone past immigration on departure, recalling them or offloading them for any reason will take place with permission of the director of airports and aviation security,” she said.

She called upon all travellers to always report any misbehaving staff to concerned authorities. She also added that the staff that appeared in a video extorting money from a passenger has been arrested to aid with investigations.

“We would like to inform the general public that all cases and complaints submitted to CAA will be thoroughly investigated and action taken,” she said.

Lumonye revealed that from 2020 to date, at least 26 staff from different agencies working at the airport found guilty of misconduct have been suspended , contracts terminated or subjected to other disciplinary measures.