β¦SUMMA Group Deceives President Bio
When President Dr. Julius Maada Bio commissioned the New Freetown International Airport situated in Lungi, Port Loko District for operations, his hope was that, the new airport will attract more flights and passengers, especially tourists into the country, hereby stimulating growth, as it will be of massive economic benefit to Sierra Leone.
The new airport which is expected to turnover a passenger volume of over 1.2 million people yearly is now becoming a white elephant as many travelers have abandoned due to its high taxes levied on them by the management of SUMMA Construction Company led by its General Arif Erdem Arikan.
Investigations carried out by the Informant, has revealed that passengers have to pay US$50 or more for incoming and outgoing at the airport coupled with the high taxes imposed on flights coming into the country which has led to high increase in the price of air ticket for passengers.
This ugly development has caused many passengers now travelling through the Republic of Guinea which they claimed is cheaper for both the cost of flights and airport taxes while abandoning the Freetown International Airport.
It could be called that, since the construction of the airport new terminal by the Turkish / Russian Company, Summa Sierra Leone Limited, many Sierra Leoneans continue to asked about the short and long term benefits, which sadly has turn to a serious economic burden on the citizens. The reason they are calling on the government of President Bio to review the agreement signed with Summa Group to save the country from another economic slavery, warning that if the Company fail to reduce taxes, Guinea will continue to be Sierra Leoneβs major Transit hub particularly, for air passenger traffic to South America and Europe.
The $270 million Freetown International new airport terminal project is the biggest Turkish investment in Africa in history.