Plans for Nadzab city revealed

National
John Rosso

By Gloria Bauai
PRIME Minister James Marape says Nadzab will, in the future, boast a city of its own from spin-off benefits from the airport redevelopment project.
Speaking at the ground-breaking ceremony of the K980 million airport project last week, the prime minister said that the precinct would house future developments that would come with the upgrade.
“Nadzab is important and strategic and a timely investment as far as investing in our economy is concerned,” he said.
“And so we will have an associate city infrastructure built around Nadzab (airport) to cater for the needs not just for Morobe but for modern Papua New Guinea.”
The prime minister tasked Lands and Physical Planning Minister John Rosso to start mobilising landowners in preparation for this.
However, some Gabsongkec villagers of the Wampar local level government (LLG) area were still skeptical of the benefits the Nadzab Airport redevelopment project (NARP) would bring.
Jobbie Ferea, chairman of nine clans in the area, said Nadzab was definitely not the first big project the locals had welcomed onto their land.
“We must benefit from Nadzab Airport first, then other projects can come in,” he said.
“If we miss out on Nadzab, then we will definitely miss out on the Nadzab township and the Wafi-Golpu pipeline.
“If our grievances are not recognised, we will put a stop to the township and the pipeline.”
Ferea expressed concern on contractors not including locals as sub-contractors to participate in the development.
Marape asked all international contractors to train locals if their workmen and women are not in-country due to the Covid-19 restrictions.
“Locals can work,” he said.
“Train them and pay them at a rate you agree upon.
“And to the locals who get in a sub-contracting arrangement, contractors are time-bound.
“You have to rise up to their standards of delivery.”