The Director of Wau Airport in Western Bahr El Ghazal said that the fuel shortage in the town and the heavy rains have stalled the construction of the runway. Since a near miss accident involving a Feeder Airways passenger jet last March, the airport has been closed for repairs and improvement of the runway.

Speaking to Gurtong Media reporter James Deng Dimo, Director Joseph Akot Mayen said that the constructor Well Done International Company Limited has stopped work due to the fuel shortage.

He added: “The construction was unable to go smoothly due to rains that affect the collection of dumping rocks gravel from far distance which takes to hours to reach the airport.”

“The constructors use to do their normal work when the runway is dry,” Mayen said, pointing to recent heavy rains in Wau.

The director did not give a date for when the work will be completed. But he noted that he hopes that the construction company will receive within days three fuel trucks which are on the way. This will allow construction to continue. 

Photo by Gurtong: Feeder Airlines crash of late March 2012.