Enga Provincial Government made a contribution of three hundred-thousand-kina yesterday, in a cheque form which was presented to the Rural Airstrip Agency (RAA) by Enga Governor Sir Peter Ipatas.
Since the establishment of the Rural Airstrips Agency of PNG limited by the National Government, Enga Province was one of the first provinces in the country to partner with Rural Airstrip Agency in 2014.
Since then the RAA assisted Enga Province with the maintenance and operations of its rural airstrips to help locals in the remote parts of the Province to get to and from to receive and have access to vital services.
Having more than 10 rural airstrips operating in the province and with the support at hand from Enga Province were Rural Airstrips Agency will help with the continuous maintenance of its existing airstrips in the province with the opening of six other airstrips in the province.
Governor Ipatas said having partnered with RAA is only vital to make life and transportation easier.
“My people in the province are dispersed and isolated populations find it difficult to travel because of the mountainous terrain of the country and so air travel is the sole means of transportation to many parts of the rural areas in the country” Governor Ipatas said.
He added that air travel is vital in terms of economic and social development.
Chief Executive Officer for Rural Airstrip Agency Haofa Sailoa said with a total of K60, 000 needed annually to maintain and fix per airstrip, the K300, 000 is very beneficial to RAA to restore existing airstrips in the province.
“I would like to thank the Governor Sir Peter Ipatas for the contribution of K300, 000 to RAA. Our partnership with Enga Province goes back a long way and we have come this far working with Enga Province fixing and maintaining their rural airstrips in the province where transportation has also been made easier for the people” Sailoa said.
He said this money will go towards assisting the rural airstrips in the province.
