The Zimbabwean government, through the National Economic Development Priority Program (NEDPP), has extended over US$8 million for the upgrade of the country's major airports, a local newspaper reported on Sunday.

Airports that are going to directly benefit from this facility include the Harare International Airport, the Joshua Mqabuko Airport in Bulawayo and the Victoria Falls Airport, The Sunday Mail said.

The projected costs of the projects were estimated to be more than 60 million dollars, but the figures are constantly being revised upwards, the newspaper said.

Presently, efforts are under way to refurbish the country's facilities so that the infrastructure is in tandem with international standards and also plays a crucial and supportive role for the tourism industry.

Although a raft of challenges that include waning business operations and the ripple effects from the challenges confronting Air Zimbabwe burden the authority, progress has been made in the rehabilitation of the airports. However, the completion dates of the works have since been revised.

Of concern is the continued escalation of the prices of critical inputs such as cement, fuel and imported materials used in the refurbishment.

(Xinhua News Agency September 18, 2006)