State in talks to acquire Komo airport

 THE government has been in discussions with ExxonMobil PNG Ltd to have user rights on the Komo airfield, National Airports Corporation acting managing director Joseph Tupiri says.

He clarified the speculation that the NAC would be taking over Komo.

“We are going to use it,” he added.

“In light of the government’s willingness to extract value out of Komo (airstrip), we have had some discussions with ExxonMobil. 

“Matter of fact we have a finalised agreement in place in which ExxonMobil will continue to operate the Komo airport but the government will have user rights, which it will pass onto commercial operators,” he said.

Tupiri however added that the accurate details would be made available at the appropriate time.

ExxonMobil PNG Ltd had said the 3.2km Komo airfield, with a runway which is 15% longer than Port Moresby’s airport, is expected to later become a base to fly in workers on Dash 8 aircraft to assist future upstream efforts in the wider region.