ADB programme funding Kup airport project

THE proposed airport at Kup, Kerowghi, Chimbu, will be funded by the Asian Development Bank’s Civil Aviation Development Investment Programme, National Planning Minister Richard Maru says.
He said this in Parliament last week while responding to a question from Kerowagi MP Bari Palme on the proposed airport to replace the Kundiawa Airport which could not accommodate bigger aircraft.
Maru said K2.5 million had been allocated in the 2019 Budget for work on the design of the airport.
He said the allocation was made to the National Airport Corporation (NAC) because it was responsible for airports, and not to the provincial government or the District Development Authority. It is the duty of the NAC to design and build airports.
Maru said he had met ADB officials and they would now start the Civil Aviation Development Investment Programme
He said they did a lot of work under the same programmer in airports such as Mt Hagen’s Kagamuga airport.
The Kup airport is in the next phase of the programme.
“It is important that we provide an alternative airport (to Mt Hagen) in the Highlands,” he said.
“From what I gather, the Kup airport is going to be one of the international airports in the Highlands. It is important that the people of Simbu and Jiwaka have their own airport as Hagen is too far.”