Aviation minister re-opens rural airstrip in Nawaeb

A RURAL airstrip in Nawaeb, Morobe, was re-opened on Saturday by Minister for Civil Aviation Alfred Manase.
The airstrip is at Baindoang and Umbang village in the Nabak local level government of Nawaeb district.
It was closed in December 2009 after an aviation incident.
Villagers welcomed a North Coast Aviation aircraft from Lae operated by pilots Geoff Thiele and Dean Wiegers.
Manase praised the hard work of the people of Ward Four in the Nabak LLG.
“Rural airstrips are very important to most parts of Morobe. It is a challenge for the country right now,” he said.
“The country has huge forests and tough terrains. It is very hard to construct roads.
“Therefore some areas will need air service. Roads are good, but it will take a very long time to construct.”
Nawaeb MP Kennedy Wenge said most villages did not have road and relied on air transport.
People have to walk for days reach the nearest road.
“It has been more than 20 years since villagers in the district have seen an airplane,” he said.
“People have been struggling to transport coffee to Lae, and our coffee gardens have been covered in bushes.
“People have been finding it hard to travel to Lae to make money to pay school fees.
“But this can all change now that the Baindoang airstrip is re-opened.”
District Development Authority chief executive James Neapukali said they contributed K17,500 for the renovation of the airstrip.
“This was to buy grass cutters and fuel for villagers preparing the airstrip,” he said.
“The airstrip will start having regular flights now.”