Tufi airport announced – The National

Labour and Industrial Relations Minister Lekwa Gure cutting the ribbon to mark the inaugural Link PNG flight into Tufi yesterday. Looking on are Ijivitari MP Richard Masere, Western Governor Toboi Awi Yoto and Minister for Health and HIV/AIDs Sir Puka Temu. – Nationalpic by HELEN TARAWA

By HELEN TARAWA
TRANSPORT and Infrastructure Minister William Samb has announced plans for Tufi to be made Northern’s second airport.
Samb, who led a delegation of ministers, MPs and officials to Tufi on the inaugural Link PNG flight yesterday, told The National that Tufi would be included on the civil aviation development investment progamme phase two (Cadip 2).
He said Government had an overall Connect PNG programme.
“The three modes of transportation are currently in our medium term transport development plan,” he said.
“For air transport, we have partnered with rural airstrips authority to progress the partnership with mission aviation fellowship and civil aviation (department) and regional airports to support the main airports.
“Asian Development Bank, based on their study, included Tufi as one of the regional airports to be featured in the Cadip2 programme.”
Samb also said the Government’s commitment of K2 million which he announced during the official ceremony of the inaugural flight to Tufi yesterday, would go straight to Ijivitari and the district development authority would partner the Civil Aviation Department to get their early work on major upgrades, including the sealing and the lighting system and fencing of the airport.
Samb also said there was a budget for development of jetties in which Tufi would be included to upgrade its existing jetty.
“We will send our technical team together with the Ijivitari DDA team to assess the jetty on how we can improve that facility to support the Tufi airport,” Samb said.
The officials on the inaugural Link PNG flight to Tufi included Minister for Health and HIV-AIDS Sir Puka Temu, Minister for Labour and Industrial Relations Lekwa Gure, and Minister for Land and Physical Planning John Rosso MPs included National Capital District Governor Powes Parkop, Western Governor Toboi Awi Yoto, Alotau MP Charles Abel and North Fly MP James Donald.
The other officials included secretary for Transport Roy Mumu, executives from the National Airport Corporation, Civil Aviation Safety.

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