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Jack Massaquoi, General Manager of the Sierra Leone Airport Authority, has confirmed reports of theft at the abandoned Freetown International Airport in Lungi. His admission came during a session with the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) in Parliament on August 13, 2024.
Massaquoi was summoned after Opposition Leader Hon. Abdul Kargbo raised concerns about looting at the former airport. During the hearing, Hon. Aaron Koroma questioned Massaquoi about the theft of property from the site. Massaquoi acknowledged the incidents, stating that theft had occurred and that arrests had been made.
Hon. Kargbo highlighted that critical infrastructure, including the airport’s control tower, televisions, and air conditioning units, had been stolen. He criticized the current state of the old control tower, noting that it is now completely empty despite the government’s investment in a new control tower at the updated airport.
The abandoned Lungi Airport, originally built by the British Royal Air Force in 1945 as a military base during World War II, was the primary international gateway for Sierra Leone until the opening of a modern facility last year. There have been speculations about repurposing the old airport for military use or as an ECOWAS aircraft maintenance site.
